Memory of an Elven Spring
by worcester sauce
Summary: El is an elf. She thinks, but really she is just a ditsy marysue, wrote this 2 years ago i was actually serious i've matured! Read it and your eyeballs will shrivel up. Don't read it, its like a notonpurposetroll but i recommend my parodys.
1. Dark Beginnings

Ok people, this fic is a little more serious then my other, ok, maybe a lot more serious. I decided to write it when I woke on Saturday morning after a strange dream, and had more then half of it already planned in my head, so happy reading and please review!  
  
A young girl lay unconscious upon the red sand floor of a mud hut. Her long honey-colored hair lay limp across her pale face and there were gashes in her blood stained and ragged dress. There was also a deep cut in the palm of her right hand, which oozed with blood.  
  
People around her were screaming as arrows shot past the window. Her eyes flickered as a shadow crossed over her face from the open doorway in front. The blurred figure came towards her, lifted her off the ground and pulled the hair back from her slightly pointed ears. More figures followed and then all went dark again as she was pulled into the dark dream of yesterday.  
  
'People were dancing around her. Dark men in colored robes and masks scratched at her clothes and chanted in a strange language she had never heard before. Then the grandest of these men walked towards her carrying a short polished knife that glinted in the cold firelight. He took her hand and drew the weapon along her palm, slicing deep into her flesh. She cringed as he squeezed the blood from her palm into a wooden bowl he had carried in his other hand. The chanting stopped.  
  
The other dancers turned their heads towards their leader as he walked carefully to the fire and threw the sticky red liquid across it. To her surprise the fire blazed green and doubled in size, sending green ashes into the sky. A dark green, dancing figure remained silhouetted in the air for a second and then vanished as the flames went back to their previous color. The leader went back to her and whispered something dark into her ear.  
  
Then she remembered what he had said that had seemed so evil; she was to be sacrificed at the sunrise after the full moon. That was today.'  
  
Her eyes opened with a start and she glanced around. Twenty figures were sitting almost totally camouflaged around her. A warm blanket had been placed over her body to shield her from the cruel frost. She staggered to her feet, eyes wide with fear, and began edging away from them. Suddenly, she tripped over a bare tree root behind her and fell backwards onto the cold frostbitten ground with a crunch.  
  
The figure closest to her turned his head when he heard the crash and leapt lightly onto his feet. This alerted the rest of them, and they all turned to look at her. She rolled over and got back up, ready to try and run, but before her foot had even left the ground she felt the firm grip of a strong hand around her arm. She pushed the arm away from her and hit its owner in the face, startling him enough for her to get a head start in the running.  
  
But he was much faster then she and soon caught up, cornering her in the crook of an old oak tree, pressing her against the bark. She shuddered as his hands held her firm against the tree that had betrayed her, and she turned her face away.  
  
"Leave me!" she cried as a tear glided from her cheek and steamed as it hit the ground. The man turned her face to look at him, though her eyes would not.  
  
"Look at me," he said softly. Her green, tear-stained eyes flickered to meet his of bright blue. He smiled and his eyes twinkled; they were not like the cruel brown that she had looked into for so many nights before.  
  
"Don't kill me," she whispered desperately. "I don't want to die."  
  
He laughed gently and wiped a tear from her face with his finger. "I am not here to kill you. Do I look no different from the Haradrim of the South?"  
  
His face was fair and young. There was no sign of age, though wisdom was shining clearly in his eyes. His long golden hair was braided slightly on the edges behind his pointed ears to keep it out of his face, although the rest of his hair hung below his shoulders.  
  
"We found you near dead inside the Haradrim leader's hut. You were wounded and had lost a lot of blood. We saved you from sacrifice," said another figure with brown hair who had just appeared behind him. "Did we not, 'Prince' Legolas?"  
  
The girl shivered. Her eyes were no longer filled with fear as they had before, and a new kind of relief showed in her face.  
  
The one called Legolas wiped away the blood that fell from his cut lip. "Your nails are sharp, young one," he said humorously. Then a look of concern passed over his face, for she seemed weary and swayed. "Come," he whispered as he caught her and lifted her in his arms. "Now that you know we are not evil, you can rest again. We have already journeyed for four days while you were resting, but you have seen great evil and great evil has been upon you, and you have not eaten good food for some time." He then took her to the others who were sitting around the fire, gave her the blanket and then sat down next to her.  
  
The other men were now watching her with great interest. The twenty that were there seemed to be from three different realms, judging by the clothes they wore.  
  
"Her ears are pointed," said the man with brown hair, whom she recognized from before. "She may be an elf, like us."  
  
"Aye, Elrohir," said another dark-haired elf, very much a like to the first. "What is your name?" he now asked as he handed the girl a piece of waybread.  
  
"I cannot remember," she answered, "I woke one morning in pain and dark and I was there. I do not remember what happened before then."  
  
"Well." Legolas said. "I for one shall call you Elbereth, like the lady of long ago, for never has one so fair been so far from our lands and in such darkness. Maybe El for short." He smiled warmly at her, and she returned it.  
  
"Yes," El replied, some part of her memory remembered that name. "El." 


	2. Elladan and Elrohir

Hope this is interesting for all you people out there.  
  
After their dinner, El fell into a dreamless sleep but woke to the sound of the others getting ready to go. She felt herself being lifted, and then opened her eyes.  
  
"I can walk," she said to Legolas.  
  
"I do not think you will get far before you are weary again, but if you insist." He placed her on her feet.  
  
Elrohir was walking next to him.  
  
"Why did you come to the city?" El asked. " Were you looking for something?"  
  
"Our lands are in a permanent winter. The Haradrim stole something from us of great importance, something that is needed to bring back the spring before all living things die." Elrohir answered sadly. "We are taking you to Mirkwood, which is from where we first set out. Unfortunately, we have not found what we are looking for." He paused. " You must be feeling better; your scars have healed." El looked at her palm; the scar had gone, although she could still feel the coldness of the blade that had cut her.  
  
"I do not remember anything other then being in Harad, not even from whence I came," she sighed.  
  
"You will remember soon enough; we shall be in Mirkwood in two months, for we have covered a great distance with our speed," Legolas said. "After resting there, your memory may come back." El smiled and carried on walking.  
  
The next month passed uneventfully, and soon El was healed. They had walked far and had reached past the mountains that bordered Gondor. El walked beside Elrohir who was enthusiastically telling her about Rivendell, when Legolas stopped suddenly and held out a hand for silence. He signaled for everyone to climb into the trees.  
  
Elrohir and El were perched silently on a sturdy, sweet chestnut bough and Legolas sat on another, his bow aimed at the hoarse voices coming nearer.  
  
"Goblins!" whispered Elrohir into El's ear as three scrawny creatures crawled through the bushes. Elrohir picked one of the nuts from the tree and aimed it at the biggest one's head. It hit it with a 'thunk' and then bounced off onto the other one's. Elrohir was nearly falling off the branch with laughter. El covered her mouth to try and stifle her giggles.  
  
"What was 'at?" The big goblin said as he looked around, " Why'd you do 'at?" he growled at the one next to him.  
  
"No! You 'it me!"  
  
Elrohir signaled to his brother, who then did the same with an acorn, and hit the other on the head.  
  
"Oy! You did 'at, I saw you!" said the one who had not yet spoken. Elrohir threw another nut. So did Elladan, and soon all three goblins were fighting. El watched in horror as the verbal argument soon became physical and then still physical but this time with jagged swords added. The small goblin was now missing an arm, and then a head, and the biggest one stabbed the other until only he remained. Elrohir threw down another nearly knocking the big goblin out.  
  
"'Oo was 'at?" the goblin said, now trying to attack the tree that was harboring Elladan, but before anyone could answer his question, an arrow sped through the air and hit him in the middle of his forehead, killing him instantly. Everyone climbed out of the trees. Elladan and Elrohir were still laughing and tears [of mirth] were rolling down their cheeks. El smiled, but Legolas looked a little annoyed.  
  
"Sorry, Legolas, I just could not resist it. They were so dull-witted and they were right there," Elrohir said, pleading his case.  
  
"Their leaders will know someone has passed through this way when none return. That was something I do not wish them to discover; therefore we must make haste now, even more than before." Legolas answered. Elrohir and El walked by his side, and Elladan walked along behind with an elf from Lothlorien.  
  
"We still have another month before we reach Mirkwood. If only there was some way we could reach it quicker," Legolas said, watching a robin land on a bough, cocking its head to the right as if listening to what they were saying.  
  
"Yes. Oh, to have an Eagle!" Elrohir replied dramatically. The little robin darted off through the leaves of the canopy and flew away.  
  
They found a clearing of trees where they decided to rest for the night. Ten of the other elves went on ahead to Mirkwood, six of them went to find firewood, and the other four made dinner.  
  
After they had eaten their waybread and dried fruit, the sleeping bags were set out, and soon they all fell asleep. El closed her eyes and began to dream.  
  
She was walking in a dense forest, and the only light she could see came from a tiny firefly sitting in the palm of her hand. There were worried voices calling, "Gathiel!" all around her. Then, up ahead of her, she saw two black figures glide towards her. "Gathiel," said a female voice bitterly as they came nearer. "Oh sweet spring of southern Mirkwood, where are you?" Another masculine voice added sarcastically as he touched her cheek. El could now see his brown eyes glinting with malice and the lady behind him smirked. He looked her in the eyes, then glanced down at the firefly fluttering in her palm and grinned, he then placed his forefinger and thumb over it, crushing it, and watched the light fade. "Let us see how strong you are with no one by your side."  
  
Ok people, please review other wise I don't know if you are reading, and what's the point of writing it if no one reads it? No, that's not entirely true. I am sort of writing this for my amusement and the amusement or Kaitlin who has the best fic ever and I am never gonna get it that could, but what's the harm in trying? 


	3. Gwaihir the WindLord

Here's chapter 3 hope you are all enjoying it, this is going to be a long story hopefully full of interesting stuff.  
  
El gasped suddenly and awoke to see two dim shadows looking over her, eyes glinting in the cold moonlight. Startled, she leapt to her feet.  
  
She backed away breathing heavily. She wanted to scream. Who were those people, what did they want from her?  
  
"El, it's me," Legolas said, moving steadily towards her. She turned her gaze to the figure behind him.  
  
"Is she alright? She's shivering- She must have been some vivid dream!" said the voice of Elladan behind him. El relaxed. Thank goodness, the twins were not there!  
  
"El!" Legolas cried, catching her before she fell to the ground again. She lay there limp in his lap, looking up into his worried eyes.  
  
"Haradrim," she whispered. "They are following me."  
  
"It is all right, it was just a dream," he said holding her tightly. "You are safe now; there are no Haradrim here." She drifted back into sleep.  
  
El woke up next to Legolas hearing the consistent snickering of Elladan and Elrohir. Legolas shook his head and smiled at their immaturity. "Ignore them," he said. El laughed and smiled when she caught his gaze. Elladan helped her off the ground, took her hand, kissed it and then bowed low.  
  
"I am forever in your service 'princess'," he said and began to laugh again. His brother joined in, and for the rest of that day they both insisted on referring to El as 'princess'.  
  
By midday El was beginning to ache all over, and the ghosts of last night's dream seemed to be all around her. She tripped on a stone and Elladan, who walked behind her, caught her before she fell.  
  
"It seems the 'princess' is lacking energy. As I am now in her service I must be courteous and offer her a lift." Elladan grinned at Legolas and lifted her easily off the ground , slinging her over his shoulder.  
  
"I don't mind being carried the normal way, but the blood is rushing to my head." Elladan did nothing. "I might be ill," El said again, this time getting an answer, as he quickly turned her around and carried her normally. After all, he was wearing a new tunic. "As her majesty wishes," he said, smiling nervously. Elrohir and Legolas laughed.  
  
It was around sunset when nine winged shadows passed over the golden sun, and flew in circles way above their heads.  
  
"Eagles!" Elladan cried, nearly dropping the sleeping El, waking her up suddenly . The eagles circled closer and closer and then landed just before them in the clearing of trees. All nine of the birds turned their heads to look at the elf of Lothlorien. He stepped forward and bowed low to the grandest of these eagles.  
  
"The Lady of the Golden Wood has sent us, Haldir," the eagle proclaimed to the silver-haired elf now in front of him. "She thought you might enjoy a lift to ease your weary legs, for you have traveled far and have not found what you were looking for." The eagle then turned his gaze to El, "Though I see your journey has not been pointless." He paused as he looked at her. "Come. We must leave now if we are to reach the wood by morning."  
  
The eagle leaned closer to the ground. "Legolas of the Woodland Realm, I believe," He said as Legolas jumped onto his gold and feathery back. "And El, is it not? Come climb onto my back, I shall carry the two of you." The eagle's eyes twinkled in amusement at El's bewildered face.  
  
"He knows my name," El whispered to Legolas.  
  
"The Lord of Eagles is very wise," Legolas replied, as the bird took flight. "He has seen many ages, and he knows many things."  
  
Soon they were high up in the sky, flying over the realm of Rohan, covered in a twinkling frost. Mountains with tips of snow shone like beacons in the pale light of sunset. El leaned closer to the warm body of the eagle and closed her eyes. She felt Legolas grip her from behind.  
  
"Do not worry Legolas," the eagle said. "Never has anyone fallen from the back of Gwaihir the Windlord."  
  
El listened to the sound of the Gwaihir's magnificent wings beat the air around them. Elladan and Elrohir were flying next to them, enjoying the view and talking with the eagle they rode.  
  
"So you have met the Haradrim of the south?" Gwaihir said to El.  
  
"Yes," she replied sleepily, "And I do not wish to meet them again, for they are cruel and barbaric to their own kind."  
  
"The Haradrim of the South thought you were of great importance to them, and they fought hard not to let you go," Legolas said. "We left no warrior alive. The leader would not talk except to say that you were their window to immortality. His last words were that the gods would have been pleased."  
  
"Ah, yes the ways of the Haradrim are strange, like their gods. Their beliefs are far different from ours, and their rituals are wicked. It is lucky Legolas found you, El," Gwaihir said. "Or is it, Legolas, that you were lucky to find her? For it is Spring that you seek, but you do not know where you might find it."  
  
Legolas laughed though sadness was still in his voice. "It is true, my errand was not in vain," he said as he squeezed El's hand, but she had fallen into sleep.  
  
End of chapter 3, I've decided to have lots of smallish chapters, so I can type them quicker and post them quicker, hope you liked the chapter. Please review to tell me what you think about it, or to write down my many grammar errors, that would be really helpful because then I can go change them. Loads 'o' luv the writer I mean author ?. 


	4. Ivy the Dryad

When El woke up the next morning she found herself in a four poster bed with wooden figures engraved around the posts. Her torn dress had been changed and birds were singing outside. She sat up to get a good look around herself when she saw a lady dressed in white talking to Legolas and Elladan, her long strawberry gold hair glittering in the cold morning light. They turned to look at El.  
  
"You are awake. I trust you slept well?" she said cheerfully to El. "I am the Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien. My husband, Celeborn, and I were the ones who sent Gwaihir" El leapt quickly out of bed and curtsied.  
  
Galadriel smiled. "We shall meet for lunch in the dinning hall and then the next morning. Gwaihir will take you to the old forest road at the edge of Mirkwood, as there are no places to land inside the boundaries," she said to all three and then turned and left.  
  
They had a small breakfast as it was very close to lunch, and afterwards Legolas volunteered to show El around. He took her to a small lake where they sat for a while.  
  
"So what was your dream about?" he questioned, concerned about her disturbed night before.  
  
"I dreamt I was in a dense wood in the dark, and worried people were calling a name, my name. Then these Haradrim twins walked towards me, mocking their voices of the others. I was hurt and the only reason I could see them was because there was a tiny firefly flying around my hand. The male one came closer to me, too close, and then he killed the firefly and told me that they will come for me." El shuddered and Legolas took hold of her hand, "It didn't feel like a dream, more like something that had happened in the past or even in the future." She paused, and changed the subject. "What is it everyone is looking for?"  
  
"We are trying to find spring." Legolas answered.  
  
"You speak of it as if it were a person." El said.  
  
"She is, Spring is a person fairer even than spring itself." Legolas said sadly. "In fact," he added, turning towards El, "you remind me very much of her. You have the same eyes." He stopped, now looking deeply into them as if puzzled by their past. "Although," he said as he turned away, "you do not have her green hair." They laughed.  
  
"Legolas?" A female voice called. "LEGOLAS!" It came again, now sounding slightly frustrated.  
  
A tall young woman entered through the trees, her flaming red hair waving in a nonexistent breeze. She stopped when she saw El, and then smiled as she walked towards them.  
  
"So this is young El from Harad. You were right Legolas, she does bear some resemblance." Her eyes glittered as she held out a gold-tanned hand to El. "My name is Iavas, though Ivy may be easier to pronounce." El shook the hand. "I am what they would call Autumn, as my true name suggests. I have a feeling we will become great friends." She took El's hand and pulled her to her feet. As the two women started walking, El shot Legolas a pleading look. He just grinned with amusement.  
  
" Lunch is ready." Ivy stopped and then started walking again. "Is it true you do not know from whence you came?"  
  
"Sadly, yes." El replied. "Although Legolas assures me that I will remember soon enough."  
  
Soon they reached the dinning hall of Galadriel and sat down for lunch. Ivy sat down next to El and began to eat; El noticed that her hair was still waving slightly. El looked around the table; there were only her, Ivy, Elrohir, and Legolas as well as the silver haired elf she knew to be Haldir, of course, and Galadriel and Celeborn.  
  
"Ivy is a Dryad." Elladan said, appearing suddenly from behind, and seating himself on El's other side. "That is why she has weird hair." Ivy, hearing this, gave him a dirty look, making him laugh.  
  
" At least my hair looks better than yours, thank you very much!" she said as she flicked a pea into his brown hair with a fork. Elladan looked hurt as he tried to remove it. He tried to throw it back at her, but it landed in her drink. Ivy, who was not at all pleased with this, concentrated on the pea floating on the top of the water, and to El's surprise it levitated up in the air for a moment, then flashed red in a blaze of fire and disappeared before their eyes.  
  
"That is unfair!" Elladan cried, pushing his chair from the table, "You used magic!" Ivy giggled and poked out her tongue. The whole table was now watching the dispute with amusement. Ivy had won.  
  
After their light lunch, Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn took them down a long passageway to a large room, filled with comfortable silver chairs. Galadriel beckoned [for] El to sit in front. El placed herself down warily.  
  
Celeborn looked around the room, "I gather you all know the seriousness of the position we are now in," he said, looking at each one of them in turn, but avoiding El's gaze. "I am sure you know also that we only have a short time left before the damage that is done to this land becomes immeasurable."  
  
"Gathiel," a voice said in her head, interrupting Celeborn's speech. El's eyes immediately darted to the Lady, who had been sitting silent before; she was gazing intently at El. El shivered, remembering her dark dream.  
  
"You have heard that name before." Her voice rang out in El's head. "You are more useful to them than they think," she said aloud, as she got up from her chair and walked through the door. Everyone else had stopped talking, and watched the Lady walk from the room.  
  
Celeborn looked at El, and by the look on his face, El knew he could tell whom Galadriel thought she was. El's eyes flashed red in frustration over her ignorance, and she ran swiftly out of the room.  
  
She heard names calling her back but she kept running until she reached a large golden tree, and climbed it steadily to the top. She put her head in her hands and wept. The voices were still calling her name down below. She lifted her head suddenly, hearing a new voice "Gathiel," the evil male voice mocked. "Gathiel," the feminine one replied. Then a shrill laugh erupted around her, chilling her to the bone. Her sight darkened as she began to feel frozen and weak. The bough shook next to her and she slid backwards, wind rushing through her hair.  
  
"EL!" cried Legolas' familiar voice as he grasped her wrist, and pulled her back onto the golden bough. The cold passed and she opened her eyes, looking into the worried face above her.  
  
"Legolas," she whispered. "They are here."  
  
Hi again, hoped you all liked chapter four, you may have noticed how absolutely wonderfully it was grammaritized, and also how now the sentences run definitely more smoothly! And that is all thanks to my beta newmoon who did a great job! Thanks sooo much! 


	5. Mirkwood

Story chapter 5  
  
"El," Legolas whispered into her ear. The sun had only just risen over the rolling green fields. "Gwaihir is here El, wake up." El grunted and opened one eye when she heard the stifles of laughter behind Legolas.  
  
"It seems El is not a morning person," Elladan said, grinning from ear to ear. El picked up her feather pillow and threw it at his face but before it had even reached him, Elladan had caught it. He grinned boastfully at her.  
  
"Look! A flying pillow!" El cried pointing out of the window, while Legolas watched her grab the other pillow next to her.  
  
"Where?" Elladan asked searching the pale morning sky, feigning stupidity.  
  
"HERE!" El replied as she threw the one that she had grasped, this time nearly knocking Elladan backwards. He scowled at her. Legolas laughed, and Elladan's frown quickly turned into a grin.  
  
"Gwaihir is waiting, El," Legolas said as he turned to leave the room. Elladan followed Legolas, muttering quietly about girls and cheating.  
  
El threw on her new clothes that someone had draped over a chair beside her bed. There was a green tunic embroidered with silver leaves, and a gray cloak was lying next to it. She packed the other spare pair of clothes into the bag that lay on the floor next to her bed. She pulled a brush through her hair and tied part of it back. She ran out of the room and nearly slammed the door open in Elladan's face.  
  
"Wow there. Slow down," he said as he grabbed El's hand. "You could hurt yourself. Or me."  
  
"Sorry Elladan, but everyone is waiting," El said.  
  
"No, they are just finishing breakfast, and the Lady is talking with Legolas and Gwaihir outside," he said adjusting the brooch on El's cloak, and taking her hand again as he walked her down the stairs. "Legolas asked me to escort you 'princess'," Elladan teased. El pushed him to the side nearly making him stumble.  
  
They entered the dinning room just as everyone was leaving. El quickly grabbed a sugared bun from the center of the table and stuffed it into her mouth. Elladan pretended to look disgusted, but then he too did the same, and they both ran outside.  
  
"Gathiel," Galadriel said as she walked towards El. Legolas seemed startled at the mention of the name. "I am sorry to have startled you last night." She took El's hand. "You shall remember your past soon." El bowed her head to her and Celeborn.  
  
"Farewell, Gathiel," Celeborn said as he smiled, the stress he had before had now lifted from his face. The couple turned and headed in doors.  
  
"Do not be frightened," came the voice of Galadriel in her head, "No harm shall come to you while Elrohir, Elladan and Legolas still stand."  
  
"El," Gwaihir's cheerful voice rang out. Legolas was already on his back and lifted her on. There were three other eagles and on them were Ivy, Elrohir and Elladan. Gwaihir spread his wings and pushed off from the ground, soaring gracefully into the air. The other eagles followed his lead. They could barely see the now camouflaged Lothlorien below.  
  
"El?" Legolas said after several hours of flying. "Why is it the Lady called you by the name of Gathiel when she bid farewell?" El turned her head to look at him, and saw an eager look in his blue eyes.  
  
"That is the name I heard them call in my dream, the one I thought was mine," El replied. Legolas looked puzzled. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"That is the name of Spring," he said, smiling a little. "We may have found what we have been looking for."  
  
"It is as I said, Legolas," Gwaihir spoke for the first time since they had taken flight. "Your errand was not in vain."  
  
Legolas fell silent as he absent-mindedly twirled El's golden hair between his fingers. To his amazement it flashed green, he rubbed his eyes but it had returned to its normal color.  
  
"Is that Mirkwood?" said El, looking over Gwaihir's magnificent wings.  
  
"Yes," Legolas replied, "This is where we must leave you, Gwaihir."  
  
Gwaihir immediately started circling downwards, getting closer and closer towards the small road that El guessed was the old one Lady Galadriel had talked about. From above, Mirkwood did not look like much of an inviting place, as the trees were thick and dark. Once Gwaihir had landed, she looked closer at the trees and walked slowly towards the closest one, touching its bark. It let out a long groan and she jumped quickly backwards.  
  
"Watch out, young El," Gwaihir said as he prepared himself to fly again. "These trees are old and their hearts are black for the long winter causes them pain." He addressed them all. "Farewell, and may the sun shine down on your errand." Then Gwaihir soared into the sky with the other eagles behind him and let out a cry. The other eagles answered and soon they were out of sight. El stood still staring at the speck that was disappearing fast; she could not help but feel sad.  
  
Legolas put a hand on her shoulder and he turned towards the wood. El adjusted her pack and followed straight after him. Ivy came in behind her and Elladan and Elrohir brought up the end.  
  
"It is a three days fast trek to my kingdom." Legolas said. "We must hurry if we are to get there on time." 


	6. Riwel

Hi people! I have to say that this chapter and the next one will definitely be my favorite so far! Thank you so much to my beta, who is always full of helpful advice and does the job so incredibly quickly it is amazing! Please review to tell me what you think of it, and the certain blue character introduced.  
  
El looked around the dark forest and shivered.  
  
"Dreary, isn't it?" Ivy remarked quietly behind her.  
  
"Yes, very," El replied. She stumbled on a large tree root, and landed on her face on the hard forest floor. El leapt back up, startled. The trees groaned as if mocking her.  
  
"Here." Legolas held out his hand. El took it greatfully and he pulled her up.  
  
"The trees seem to be in a bad mood today, I must say." Elrohir said loudly so the trees could hear. "Keep your roots to yourself! I know El's pretty, but you do not even know her yet." The others laughed.  
  
"Watch out Elrohir, I see a cherry blossom!" Elladan said as he pointed towards the tree ahead. Elrohir laughed at his brother's statement, then stopped suddenly as the tree shook its leaves.  
  
"Did anyone see that?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The cherry tree." The others turned their gazed to the tree. It shook its leaves again.  
  
They silently walked towards the tree, and tried to get passed. The tree's roots seemed to move as it took a step towards them and opened two pale green eyes. Legolas and Ivy did not look at all surprised, but others did look a little shocked.  
  
"Hello, Legolas and Iavas," the tree boomed.  
  
"Oh golly. Did your cherry blossom just talk Elrohir? I really think you should keep your Lady Friends under control," Elladan said as he took a step backwards. Elrohir laughed nervously. The tree's whole body turned as it looked at Elladan. Its mouth opened in a wide smile.  
  
"I am not a lady, young Elf, I am an Ent, Cherias is my name." Elladan nodded his head gaping at the Ent. The Ent's gaze fell upon El. "You are familiar my dear," he said warmly. "I believe we have met many times before. Gathiel is it not, Spring of Middle Earth?"  
  
The others immediately turned their heads towards El. Elladan and Elrohir walked up to her. "Gathiel?" Elladan whispered in disbelief.  
  
"I believe that is my name," El replied.  
  
To El's surprise he lowered his head and dropped eye contact. Elrohir did the same. Ivy looked outraged.  
  
"How come you two never do that to me?" Elrohir turned his head to the side to answer her question.  
  
"Ivy," he whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "This is Lady Spring we are talking about." Ivy looked utterly offended by this. "Besides." Elrohir added. "We know you."  
  
"Oh, and I suppose you have not known me for the past two months." El said liking the new attention.  
  
Elladan lifted his head and took her hand in his. "Well, I have never had the pleasure of meeting Spring herself."  
  
"Well, you had that pleasure many weeks ago," El said now smiling from ear to ear and taking her hand from his. Legolas was laughing from behind, and Cherias looked slightly amused. Elladan shot Legolas a cold glance, and Legolas stopped laughing, though still he smiled.  
  
Elrohir narrowed his eyes, walked closer and looked El up and down. "Wait one second," he said, "How do we know this is Spring and El not playing some kind of a joke?"  
  
"You have my word," boomed Cherias. "The word of an old Ent who has seen Gathiel many times."  
  
" But doesn't Lady Spring have green hair? El certainly lacks that!"  
  
"That is something that is puzzling me too," Ivy added.  
  
"I do not know, although it may have something to do with her memory loss, but if you look closely, Elrohir, you can see it in her eyes," Legolas answered stepping closer and now looking at El. "You can see the joy of many springs, and the youth of a budding rose after the winter. Even now, El may not know why, but she feels the pain of all living things and she can do nothing about it." Legolas paused lost in her eyes.  
  
"Yet," Cherias added, and Legolas' eyes darted to look at Old Ent, "you forget, Legolas, of the power of the forests. Her memory will return soon, you can be sure of it. Every tree mind here is bent on it, you may be surprised at what the woodland's magic can do.  
  
"I am going to have to agree with you there, Cherias," Ivy said, smiling at El. "Come to think of it, I am surprised I had not noticed it before." Cherias let out a loud infective laughter.  
  
"As one of her oldest and dearest friends, Iavas, I too am surprised. The trees are not trying to harm her," he added, now looking at Elrohir, "in any way. They are pleased, to see her at last after so long a time, and angry at the ones who held her captive. More angry then you can believe."  
  
El was beginning to feel a pressure great weight on her shoulders, as though everyone was depending on her and her memory. She bowed her head. The tree next to her whispered, though not harshly, the whisper comforted her.  
  
"I must leave now to tell the others of Gathiel's return. Goodbye Legolas son of Thranduil, we shall meet again soon." The tall Ent lifted his head and put a hand to his mouth and a low, loud rumble erupted from his throat. Far off El could hear more rumbles answer. Cherias lifted one of his long legs off the ground and took a step into the dense forest and then another, and soon disappeared totally from view.  
  
They stood silent for a while.  
  
"So I am the one they call Spring," El said, hoping that the confusion over her identity had been solved. "And from what I have heard Legolas, Gwaihir knew too and you guessed all along. Why did you not tell me?"  
  
"I was not sure and I did not want to get my hopes up only to have them fall," he replied, smiling now and looking free of all cares. "But just before we left the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn reassured my queries.  
  
"I knew all along." Ivy added.  
  
"I am sure you did not, Ivy," Elrohir said, "I saw the surprise on your face when Cherias spoke her name." Ivy ignored him and walked faster.  
  
Elladan, who was lagging behind, ran slightly to catch up with his brother. His playful attitude dropped. He kept glancing nervously up at El and Legolas began to notice.  
  
"She is still the same El as before," Legolas said still looking ahead. El turned to look at Elladan.  
  
"Legolas is quite right. I am still the one who hit you in the head with a pillow, winning the fight this morning." She poked out her tongue cheekily. Elladan smiled.  
  
"Watch what you say, Lady Spring, for it may come back and hit you in the face," Elladan said. "It may not be as soft as a pillow."  
  
"Hmmmm Lady Spring," came a calm and cold voice from a little way on, "Gathiel." El jumped slightly at the mention of her name by an unfamiliar voice. Behind a silver berch tree, there was the electric blue hair of a young man. "You have been gone for some time. Having 'fun' I imagine, you always were off 'playing' in this little wood."  
  
"Riwel," Elladan said bitterly. "How dare you mention such a thing to someone so fair!" The one called Riwel turned his head to reveal dark blue eyes.  
  
Legolas' face was full of anger at his insult. "I believe, 'Riwel' you have misunderstood the situation." Riwel ignored Legolas, turned his gaze to El, and walked closer to her, until he was nearly pressed against her body. He lifted a finger and ran it along her cheek. Elrohir had now moved closer and pushed Riwel's hand away forcefully.  
  
"Do not touch her." Legolas said with clenched teeth, now at El's side. Both Elladan and Ivy were standing a little behind El and were looking at him with hate.  
  
"As you wish 'Prince'." He took a step back. El felt cold and shocked, Ivy put a reassuring hand on El's shoulder.  
  
"You have changed. Your hair has lost its colour and your memory has gone. You no longer recognize me. The trees have been whispering your name for some time now. They can sense your presence, and I came as soon as I felt it," Riwel said coolly.  
  
"I cannot help but wish you had not," El said to everyone's surprise. "I do not like the company of the ill-mannered and sarcastic." Riwel's eyes flashed red, then went back to normal, he laughed bitterly.  
  
"Oh, I apologize, my Lady," he said pretending to bow. "I believe I have not set a very good impression. Besides, I have not introduced myself properly. I am Riwel, Winter of Middle-earth."  
  
Legolas growled. Riwel straightened up and walked towards Ivy.  
  
"Hello, Ivy. Missing Laerian?" he smirked crookedly. Ivy knocked him backwards, it looked as though an invisible force had pushed him, and he was now two meters away.  
  
"Remember what I said about personal space, Riwel." He smirked and ran into the distance. "Creep," Ivy said, her eyes were flashing. "He will be following us."  
  
Legolas looked at El, she tried to smile but it faltered. He put an arm around her cold shoulders.  
  
"Do not worry about him," Elladan said on her other side.  
  
"He is just a creep." Elrohir added. "He cannot do anything to you; he is not allowed."  
  
They carried on walking until they reached a tall tree next to a small running stream. Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir set out the sleeping bags around the base. Ivy sat down next to El, who was idly throwing stones into the shimmering water.  
  
So what do you think? Please review to tell me. 


	7. around the campfire

Hiya! I like dis chapter 2, hope you do to. (  
  
El looked at Ivy. "How did you push him backwards like that? Do you have powers?"  
  
"Yes," Ivy replied. "So do you. You may not remember them now, but they will come back. Here, watch." She placed her hands over the water. "Estryas?"  
  
"Yes Iavas," came the answer from in the water. Slowly, before El's eyes, a figure of water formed before her until it looked nearly totally human, although she was blue from head to toe. The blue figure turned her gaze to El and smiled.  
  
"El," said Ivy; "This is Estryas, one of the guardian water dryads of this river." Estryas curtsied shyly, lifting the blue-silver folds of her dress a little off the ground.  
  
"I know who you are, Gathiel. Welcome back to your home," Estryas' sweet running voice sang. The water dryad turned and disappeared into the stream again. El looked a little shocked.  
  
"I never knew there were more than four dryads," she said, still looking into the water. Ivy smiled.  
  
"There are many dryads; they are of the waters, and of the earth... In fact there are even more than that." El stayed silent for a while.  
  
"Do you think you could teach me how to use my powers again?" she asked tentatively, fearful of the answer she might receive. Ivy nodded.  
  
"Let us see," she thought aloud. "What were Gathiel's powers? Ah yes. Here." Ivy pointed to the bare ground beneath her feet. "I want you to give life to a flower. Concentrate and it should happen."  
  
El began staring intently at the forest floor, and soon, sure enough, a tiny daisy appeared, uncurling from the surface. El looked a little disappointed as it began to whither.  
  
"What a measly attempt; not even weeds would bother to strangle that pathetic thing!" The voice of Riwel mocked her from behind a tree. El pulled her daisy from the ground and threw it in the water.  
  
"Go away Riwel, we do not need your snide remarks here," Ivy said. Riwel snickered.  
  
Ivy turned back to El. "That was a good try, but you were thinking too small and I suspect you did not believe it was going to work." Ivy held her hands over the small area and a huge elegant flame lily erupted from the earth. It glittered in the sunset light.  
  
Riwel walked away from his tree towards the lily, he snapped his fingers and it turned immediately to ice. He moved closer and tapped it with a gold, silver-toned finger and the ice crumbled into tiny shards.  
  
"It thrills Riwel to kill beautiful things, it seems," El said to Ivy.  
  
Riwel laughed. "That is just child's play!" He walked towards the other three sitting around the campfire.  
  
"Watch." He clicked his fingers, the three around the fire froze as iced covered around them. "Let me see." He walked towards Elladan and put a cold finger close to the ice. "Which one should we crumble first, Elladan, Elrohir, or-" He stood next to Legolas. "Maybe the prince!" A wicked smile spread across his face, and his eyes gleamed maliciously. El felt as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach.  
  
"Don't you dare touch them, Riwel!" Ivy cried, running towards him. Riwel's finger went closer. El suddenly was furious; her eyes began to glow red. She looked at the vine that was hanging close to Riwel's head, and it started to twitch. It coiled itself around his neck, squeezing tighter. Riwel gasped and struggled for breath.  
  
"Release them from the ice 'Riwel'," El said angrily. Riwel smiled, but the vine squeezed tighter. "Now!" El commanded fiercly. He looked at the ice and it melted. Legolas, Elrohir and Elladan shivered and looked around themselves. "Do not hurt my friends again," El said walking closer to Riwel. She looked again at the vine and it uncoiled from his neck. Riwel backed away slightly. El's eyes were still flame-red and glowed yet brighter.  
  
"Hmm, your powers improve when you are angered, Gathiel, I am relatively impressed. Though I was expecting something a little worse then that trick you played with the vine." El's eyes subdued back to green. "I would not have been stupid enough to kill them, though. To kill the son of Thranduil would not be looked upon kindly." He sat down by himself on the other side of the fire and warmed his hands on the blaze. Legolas, Elrohir and Elladan did not look happy to have the conceited dryad sitting opposite to them. Riwel smirked.  
  
Everyone fell silent.  
  
"Thranduil knows you are coming," Riwel said slowly, getting up. "I shall now go back to my dwelling. I would offer you to come with me, Iavas, but as it seems you will not leave these slow elves behind, so I shall see you in Mirkwood." Before their very eyes he turned into a shining silver bird of prey, and flew off into the distant canopy.  
  
"Can we do that too?" El asked with both wonder and apprehension, and Ivy nodded.  
  
"Twice in one day, hey? Riwel is becoming a frequent visitor," Elrohir said sarcastically. Legolas looked into the fire, deep in thought.  
  
"Sometimes I really wonder about Riwel," Legolas said finally. He looked up at El and smiled. "You seemed to have discovered some of your powers already!"  
  
"Yes, what you did was very brave," Ivy added, resting her head on a tree trunk.  
  
They ate some waybread and then got into their sleeping bags. El looked above at the spot of sky not covered by the trees. Something glinted on one of the boughs then took flight. Riwel had not left after all.  
  
El woke to frosty air stinging her face. The sun had not yet risen, but there was a dull glow in the sky. She pulled the covers back quietly, because the others were still asleep around her, and tip toed to the edge of the stream. She washed her face with the cool water. Next to her she saw the shards of ice from the night before. She placed her hands over the area and the ice melted leaving the tiny bits of red and yellow lily behind. El closed her eyes and concentrated hard, then jumped when she heard someone clapping behind her. In front of her now was the old flame lily, looking good as new as it twinkled in the early morning sunlight.  
  
"Nice flower, El," Elladan said as he sat down next to her. "You are getting the hang of your magic nicely." She smiled at him and concentrated on his hair. To Elladan's surprise a wreath of blue bells was now settled on his head. Elladan took it off to get a good look at it, and then placed it on El's head. "They are beautiful, but they look far prettier on your fair hair," he said, smiling at her for a moment, and then looked puzzled. "Do you feel a breeze?" he asked.  
  
El shook her head. "No, I do not think so."  
  
"Well, then your hair seems to think there is." El grasped her hair in her hand, and she noticed that the ends of it were swaying slightly. It was also considerably longer and it now hung below her lower back.  
  
"It shall be amusing to see you with green hair!" Elladan said, laughing. El did not join him in the merriment.  
  
"Green is not the color I would like my hair to be" she told him sternly.  
  
"Why not? Lots of things are green; the grass, the leaves, the mould that grows on old food!" He grinned at El and she laughed cheerfully.  
  
"What is my brother doing here, with the dryad of Spring, in this nice little remote spot?" Elrohir said sitting down on El's other side. "And," he added, "she has a wreath of flowers on her head, though I am sure, Elladan, you did not make those as you are not skilled in crafts."  
  
"Who says I am not?" Elladan asked annoyed.  
  
"Both Arwen and I, oh yes, and Father too," Elrohir replied. "What is a beautiful lily like that doing in a cold place like this?" He added, looking at the large flower.  
  
"That, my 'darling' brother, is the creation of El here," Elladan said, with a touch of pride.  
  
"She is very talented indeed."  
  
"Actually, Ivy created it yesterday, and then Riwel froze and shattered it, so I decided to have a go and bring it back from the dead," El said.  
  
"To think we may have met the same icy fate..." Elrohir said, looking at his brother.  
  
"Yes, we owe our lives to you, El," Elladan added, his voice serious.  
  
El blushed slightly. "Riwel did not mean to try and kill you, as he said. He would not be liked by Thranduil if he did."  
  
"He is not one of my Father's favorite people anyway. Many people despise him," Legolas said, turning up behind them.  
  
"Well, is this not a nice little gathering of people," Ivy said stepping from behind Legolas. "Oh the lily! El, you fixed it!"  
  
"El has become quite talented, and her hair seems to have grown," said Legolas.  
  
"Now her hair is almost as weird as Ivy's!" Elrohir teased.  
  
"Well, breakfast is ready," Ivy said, and ignoring Elrohir's comment, she turned and walked back to the dwindling fire. The others followed.  
  
After a quick breakfast, they packed everything up and set off on the path again. The day passed uneventfully and so did the night. El woke up the next morning when she heard her name being called from far off. Her hair felt strange. It was still dark around her, so she rolled over and tried to get back to sleep.  
  
"Wake up, sleepy head!" Elladan's cheerful voice whispered into her ear. El opened a mint green eye. "No. I think I mean, wake up green head. You have lost your golden locks, El!" El sat up straightaway, and removed her hair from the tight bun she had put it in, fearful of what it now looked like. Bright green hair with silver stripes waved past her waist.  
  
"El!" cried Ivy as she jumped out of her sleeping bag, "It's gorgeous." Ivy started playing with El's hair.  
  
"Elladan? Where did you p-. Wow," Elrohir said now looking intently at El's sparkling locks.  
  
"Elrohir, what is taking you so.long." Legolas was now, too, staring at El's head. Everyone was standing, or sitting, in utter silence. El felt very awkward at the unwanted attention and put her hair quickly back into its bun. There was a very large grin spread across Elladan's face. El pulled herself totally from her sleeping bag and ran behind the nearest tree. Ivy shot an evil glare at Elladan who had now stopped smiling, and was beginning to feel very guilty.  
  
Ivy stood up and walked around the tree slowly to where El was sitting. El's head rested against her knees, which were drawn up to her chest.  
  
"El, what is the matter? Do not listen to Elladan, he was just being cruel!" Ivy sat down on the ground next to her.  
  
El lifted her tear-stained face to meet Ivy's eyes. "It is just so green!"  
  
Ivy started twirling her finger around her own flaming red hair of middle length. "El, your hair is beautiful. You have no idea what it looks like; here, look into this," Ivy said as she pointed to the frozen puddle next to them. El looked down into the water. Her hair was draped around her shoulders, and so long she could nearly sit on it. The silver strips sparkled in the early morning light.  
  
"See, I told you it was beautiful! I know it was a shock; having green hair appear when you wake up definitely would be. But you'll get used to it, and, well, that was what you were famous for in Middle-earth. "'The lady Spring is said to be the fairest lady of all the lands, with her deep green eyes and flowing hair, and skin like the last winter's frosts.'" Ivy quoted. "She is, you are, the most beautiful woman in all of Middle-earth. For you are the Spring." El smiled, though her eyes showed she did not believe it. "In fact," Ivy added, "you know Elladan cracks jokes to hide his feelings, but he too has heard of Lady Spring, and I am quite sure he did not realize you could be any more fair you were."  
  
"Well," El said finally, "if the Lady Spring is fair, then the Lady Autumn is just as fair as she." They laughed, and walked back to the breakfast area. Everyone was still looking at El as she walked shyly behind Ivy.  
  
"Did you not hear, Elladan, that the beautiful bud will bloom into an even more beautiful flower and will carry on to do so?" Elladan smiled at Ivy though he made no eye contact with El.  
  
So what do you think? Please review to tell me. ( 


	8. Ziyath and Zania

Hello! I try to update twice a week, but it may depend on how much time I have got, I try at least once a week though. I had to change the Mirkwood City thing, and turn it into just another city, the hall of Thranduil is the caved area. So instead of that I added the City of Ithanal. Hope you like this chapter! And thank you sooooo much to my beta newmoon who does such a great job and provides me with so much info! What would I do without you!  
  
"We should reach the city of Ithanal by sunset," Legolas said, looking at each of his companions in turn. His eyes settled on El for a moment longer than the rest.  
  
"Good, I can't wait to sleep in a real bed. You have no idea how much it hurts sleeping on a rock all night! I will be damaged for eternity," Elrohir stated dramatically.  
  
"You are all ready damaged for life, my brother," Elladan said cheekily to his brother. Elrohir narrowed his eyes at his brother. They picked up their bags and left.  
  
It was nearly sunset, and they had not reached the palace. The sky was darkening above them. The wood began to feel very eerie. Ivy clapped her hands together and several fireflies buzzed around her head. A strange whispering noise was around them. El shivered; she thought she had been here before. They decided to stop for a rest, and El walked a little way from the others to find the little stream.  
  
She cupped her hands together and drank a little of the cool water. Voices were whispering around her. She shivered and ran back to the group. To her surprise she saw that her friends stood in a circle, weapons drawn. Two figures stood the shadows by a gnarled tree. El could not see their faces. She quickly ran up to her friends, but Legolas took her arm and pushed her behind them. The two figures walked a little closer but the group still could not see their faces.  
  
"Do not come any closer or we will shoot!" Legolas' bow was pointed at one of the dark figures. There was something familiar about them, but he knew in his heart they were no friends of his.  
  
The shadow laughed, and by the sound El guessed that it was a man. "You cannot kill us, Legolas, we are Gods and we are not fully in your dimension. Do you not remember me?" One of Ivy's fireflies started flying around the two figures, showing their faces. El saw that a woman stood beside the man who had spoken before.  
  
"Ziyath," Legolas whispered, looking at the man in disbelief, but he did not lower his bow. The man had short black hair and the woman had hair below her shoulders. But they both had the same cruel, black eyes. El shivered and stepped backwards. The man turned his gaze to where El was standing. Legolas stepped closer El as though he was shielding her. Elladan and Elrohir did the same.  
  
The woman laughed; she, too, was now looking at El. "We have not come for her today, Legolas. You know well when we need her, but there is still some time yet. Our people did a good job ambushing her the last time, when she walked alone with you in these woods."  
  
"Our people told us you put up a good fight, did they not, Zania?" The man called Ziyath questioned his sister.  
  
"Yes, they also said they had killed you, Legolas, but apparently, that was not true," the one called Zania answered. "But we took her too early. At least we erased her mind; it will be a while until it wears off." They both laughed and Ziyath walked closer. He walked through Elladan, to his great surprise, and stood just in front of El.  
  
"You have your green hair back and your Dryad complexion, you have performed magic. You shall soon lose that when we kill you. All that will be left will be a pale lifeless body, for we will take your soul," He said menacingly. "And then, child, you will suffer for eternity." Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir tried to pull El away, but they could not get close enough. Some force kept them away.  
  
Ivy went through the barrier, her hands glowing red, and pushed El out of the way. Legolas caught her in his arms. A ball of flame was ready in Ivy's hands, they would NOT touch her life long friend!  
  
"Ah, Iavas, I believe. Once we have taken Spring, you might be next. We shall have to see what powers you hold." Ivy threw the ball of flame at Ziyath, but it went straight through his body. He laughed at her. Ivy closed her eyes and muttered a few words. When she opened them they were shining yellow and red, the colors changing every minute. Ziyath took a surprised step backwards, before he and his sister erupted in flames, disappearing before their eyes.  
  
"Remember, Iavas, you cannot kill us with your tricks. We will come back into your world, and we will get what we seek." There was a menacing laugh around them, but it faded until, at last, it was gone.  
  
"El, are you all right?" Legolas anxiously asked El, who was still in shock, she was looking very pale and tired.  
  
"Yes." She detached herself from the others and walked towards the burnt hole in the tree where Ivy had thrown her fireball. El placed a hand over the burnt spot, and the tree healed before their eyes. It groaned in thanks and El smiled, she could definitely get used to these powers. But what about Ziyath and Zania? Could they have been the people from her dream? Maybe it was best to forget about them for the time being.  
  
"We must leave here at once. It is now past sunset and I do not want to wait here for them to return," Legolas said. El looked at him as began walking in the direction they were to go through the trees.  
  
Ivy caught up with El. "El, we will never let them get you. They would have to kill every living thing in Middle earth before they reached you!" She said. El smiled thankfully at her friend.  
  
"I know I am safe with everyone around me, but I have to learn to defend myself, Ivy. I have to learn fast before they find me again, and I have to become more powerful then I ever was."  
  
"That can be arranged. Laerien and Riwel knew your mother before she sailed to Valinor two thousand years ago, when you and I were just children. She possessed powers so great that every evil thing on Middle-earth feared her. I am sure she left a book filled with her knowledge and you have inherited some of her powers." Ivy smiled warmly at El.  
  
They had only been walking for around ten minutes when Legolas pulled back the wispy branches of a willow tree, with the city of Ithanal standing behind.  
  
El walked slowly through the gap of leaves Legolas held open and looked around her at the beautiful rolling fields and Lakes shimmering in the moonlight. The dew around her boots glistened from every angle. Legolas broke the silence that had descended.  
  
"Welcome El, to the city of Ithanal, one of the kingdoms of my father, Thranduil of Mirkwood."  
  
So what do you think? Please review ( 


	9. Thranduil

Hello!!! Sorry it has been so long since I have updated. But here is chapter 9 and it is quite long. Chapter 10 is even longer. Please tell me what you think of this chapter. Oh and thank you loads to Melamin venea (hope I spelt it write. I'll just say Kaitlin.) My best friend and trusty beta!  
  
El gazed around in delight at the beauty of the land. Far away in the distance she could smell the perfume of jasmine and honey suckle. She could not help but run as fast as she could towards where the smell was coming from. The wind was rushing past her ears as she gained more speed.  
  
"You run fast, El." Legolas' voice said next to her, "But I fear you can not run as fast as me." He ran straight past her. El stuck out her foot in an attempt to trip him but Legolas was quicker on his feet then she was and dodged her foot. She put on an extra burst of speed even that could get her no closer to the prince who was now at least two meters in front. It was hopeless for her to catch up to him, unless.  
  
El smirked as she concentrated on the patch of frosty grass far ahead, it began to bubble and before Legolas could stop himself, he had already placed his foot in the mud, and now could not get it out. El zoomed past him, though not running nearly as fast as before. Tars were rolling down her cheeks with laughter.  
  
She stopped five paces in front of Legolas, and lifted a piece of jasmine of the ground and breathed in its perfume. She was still panting heavily from the exercise.  
  
Legolas frowned at her, and then smiled. He looked at the amused onlookers walking at a leisurely pace far behind them. The pool around his feet gurgled and he removed his muddy brown foot. He looked towards El, who was now lying on the fresh grass with closed eyes, her face looking so peaceful and free of all cares. He could not help but think how beautiful she looked.  
  
Her green hair was spread out around her body shining in the moonlight. Legolas forcefully pulled his gaze away, sat down next to her and began to play with a piece of grass. He was still aware of the peculiar feeling just above his stomach. El snapped her eyelids open and sat up, then turned to Legolas and smiled cheekily at him. "I believe I am faster then you Legolas," She lied while she examined her nails and gained her breath. He looked at her with a slight annoyance.  
  
"Faster with your magic maybe," He replied, there was still mud on his shoe, and he would have to wait until it was dry to scrape it off.  
  
El pretended to look hurt. "Magic? What magic? I did not see any magic."  
  
"What about the mud? I saw you looking at it." He raised an eyebrow and pointed towards the telltale puddle a few meters in front of them.  
  
"You must be more wary with your feet, besides your legs are longer. So it only seems fair that I should have magic." Legolas laughed at El's straight- to-the-point remark, never mind, he would beat her next time.  
  
The others were now not far behind. Elladan had begun to prod the mud puddle with a short stick the mud responded by pulling at the stick and soon had pulled it out of Elladan's hand in to its brown depths. Elladan was quite taken aback by the threatening small puddle, as he could not see where his stick had ended up. Legolas stood up and offered a hand towards El. She took it gratefully and got up, shaking the grass from her tunic.  
  
"El, Come and take a look at this," Elladan said. El walked towards him, he was looking at her with a mysterious glint in his eyes.  
  
Elladan took her by the arm and pushed her in front of himself, not forcefully, but not too gently either. "Look," he said as he leaned closer. El leaned closer too, and noticed suddenly when his hands loosened their grip on her shoulders and moved down to her waist. The puddle was now much too close for her liking, and came even closer when Elladan released his grip totally. El stuck her arms out in front of herself, and much to Elladan's disappointment, and Legolas' too. El landed safe on the fresh grass where the pool of mud had once been. El lifted Elladan's previous stick and handed it back boastfully to him.  
  
She got up off the cold grass, dusted herself off, and grinned at Elladan and Legolas cheekily. Elrohir and Ivy laughed behind them. Elladan was still looking very cross. "I am just too fast for you Elladan," she said brushing her hands together, and walking ahead slightly with her nose in the air. "You will have to do better then that to catch Gathiel off her guard." Elladan's face grew from a frown to a small smile that only Legolas saw at El's words. He always liked a challenge and this one looked like something he would definitely enjoy. Legolas caught up to El who had now stopped and was scanning the horizon although it was too dark to see far. She had better watch out, Elladan was always up to tricks, and now he was focusing on seeking revenge.  
  
About a mile ahead of them, El could see small lights penetrating through the darkness like stars. "That is the city, but most of it is under ground," Legolas said, answering El's question before she had even asked it. She was still looking at the lights. Legolas noticed the reflection in her eyes, making them sparkle. El turned to him and noticed he was looking at her intently, she turned away slightly embarrassed.  
  
"It looks lovely," she said as she began to walk again keeping watch of the lights in front.  
  
"Even more so in spring," Legolas added as he began to walk next to her. The grass beneath their feet crackled with the late night frost. "The first day of spring in Ithanal is always the most beautiful." Soon they had passed through the fields and reached the city wall. The white moonlit flowers climbed like ivy up the steep walls, seeming nearly luminous.  
  
"Finally we are home!" Ivy exclaimed as she lent her back against the wall. "I can not wait to get into my bed. I was beginning to tire of the cold, hard floor." El walked closer to the wall and felt the icy covering of the large moss covered stone. She looked up towards the stars to try to find where the wall ended, but it seemed like it went on forever. Elrohir was not far ahead and had stopped in front of the huge wooden door. El could hear soft voices far above her, issuing commands, and soon the doors began to open, creaking loudly as the huge metal hinges turned.  
  
"Just wait until you get in side," Legolas whispered in her ear. El smiled with the anticipation of what was to come. They passed through the doors, which closed slowly behind them. El's eyes lit up as she gazed upon the beautiful gardens. They began to walk forward on the silver cobbled path that meandered its way through the many beautiful gardens. They passed many small elvish homes edging the great valleys of flowers. Rivers and waterfalls erupted from numerous places in the sparkling rocks. Elladan chuckled at El's reaction to her environment. El was walking through the gardens with a dreamy smile on her face.  
  
"You should not be so surprised at Ithanal's beauty El. You have been here many times before, for this is where you lived," he commented still smiling at El's delighted face.  
  
"I am quite sure I would be surprised every time I passed through those gates, and entered into a dream like this," El said turning to Elladan.  
  
"Well I am pleased you like it Gathiel," An unfamiliar voice said from behind a rose bush. "It is good to see you again, although from what Riwel has told me, you may not remember me."  
  
A tall man with blond hair like Legolas' came out from where he was sitting behind the colourful flowers. He looked as if he had seen many years go by, from what El could tell from his eyes, though his age did not appear on his face. In fact, he looked quite a lot like Legolas, though a little older, wiser, and with grey eyes. He walked slowly up to El and bowed.  
  
"This is my father, Thranduil," Legolas said standing next to El, proudly introducing him. El bowed her head to him.  
  
"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lord," she said quietly. El was beginning to feel very tired, it must have been past midnight, and her eyelids were feeling very heavy. Legolas looked concerned as El closed her eyes and opened them again with effort.  
  
"I think we had better wait until morning for the meeting of old friends. We have been up half the night already, and I fear some of us are exhausted," he said to his father. Legolas tilted his head towards El, Thranduil nodded knowingly.  
  
"Yes, Legolas please show Elrohir, Elladan and Gathiel to their rooms. I think Ivy still has some energy left in her and I wish to speak with her." He turned and began walking back along the path with Ivy following behind. Ivy turned her head to El and mouthed good night, before she disappeared behind the rose bushes. Ivy always seemed to have bundles of energy. El could not guess where she kept it all.  
  
The others followed slowly behind. El walked at the rear, trying to fight the sleep. Soon she was walking dreamily along, not noticing the landscape around her, or the slippery ice beneath her feet. She slipped forward into Legolas, pulling her immediately from her daydream. He chuckled lightly as he caught her just before she landed headfirst on the icy path.  
  
"It seems we can not keep you from sleep any longer," he said as he put an arm around her back and underneath her knees, picking her lightly off the floor. Legolas was surprised how light she was in his arms, El sighed and rested her head against his chest. She could hear his slow rhythmic heartbeat. She did not resist being picked up and fell asleep almost immediately. Legolas looked down compassionately at the sleeping Dryad. Elladan laughed quietly behind them.  
  
"El certainly needs her sleep, does she not Legolas?" He said looking over fondly at El.  
  
"Yes, but as you witnessed before, El is not an early riser," said Elrohir, smiling in the darkness.  
  
"That is true. She tends to put up a fight in the morning," Legolas said to his friends cheerfully, she needed quite a lot of prompting to get out of her warm bed.  
  
"Hey," El said half asleep. She had heard nearly the whole conversation. Soon she had fallen asleep again. The others laughed quietly. Elladan looked around himself at the gardens, he had only stayed in Ithanal once before and neither he nor his brother had seen this area. His eyes moved quickly to the honey suckle bush in front.  
  
"Hello Riwel, fancy seeing you here," Elladan said spitefully he had only known Riwel for a short time. All ready he was beginning to despise him.  
  
"We seem to have bumped into you again," Elrohir said, "unfortunately," He added whispering under his breath. He too had not found an instant likeness to the snide Dryad, and for good reason too. Riwel had, of course frozen him. He had obviously heard Elrohir's quiet remark and he flashed a smirk towards him.  
  
"Taking your time?" Riwel said nastily.  
  
"Thank you for your opinion Riwel, however, it was unnecessary. I'm sure you have better elves to irritate, goodnight." Legolas countered as he carried on walking past the sneering winter Dryad.  
  
Riwel's eyes darted involuntarily to Legolas' who was now in front. A twinge of jealousy ran down his spine. Why? He had never felt like this before now. Why would he be jealous of Legolas, for all the many millennia he had known him, why now? Riwel ran quickly to catch him up, and then glanced down to El lying in his arms, her skin glowed silver in the moonlight, contrasting well against her long dark eyelashes. Legolas noticed Riwel looking down at El with a slight longing in his eyes, and began walking a little faster. Elladan had seen Riwel's longing glance too, and he did not like it. He broke into the gap between Legolas and Riwel and grinned triumphantly at him. Riwel pulled his gaze away from Gathiel's peaceful face and looked towards Elladan's, which was slightly closer.  
  
"I shall see you in the morning," he said darkly before turning and then disappearing into the dark bushes behind. Legolas' pace slackened at the Dryad's words, and Elrohir caught up on his other side, a little bemused at Riwel's strange behavior.  
  
"It seems that Riwel is maybe a little interested in El," Elrohir said stating the obvious. Elladan shot a warning look at his brother. "I know neither Legolas nor I would want El to become caught in Riwel's infatuation. Let us hope I mistaken when I thought I saw lust in his eyes," Elladan said to his brother.  
  
"I too, do not want El to be hurt by him," Elrohir added quickly, he was quite fond of her and not at all fond of Riwel. Elrohir liked to think he was fair and would never judge anyone by his first impression of him or her. However, Riwel was just different. He had had experiences with people of his type before.  
  
Legolas just stared ahead and remained silent. He did not approve of Riwel. Then again his heart did not much like the idea of anyone being interested in El. They carried on walking in silence.  
  
Soon, they had reached a large building standing nearly two stories off the ground with little candlelights shining through the windows, casting warm shadows around them. The dark green ivy grew up the side of the building, like a leafy cloak.  
  
They went through the large open doorway and down a long dimly lit passageway with silver lanterns hanging from the sides until they reached eight wooden doors that lined the remainder of the passage way.  
  
"Well goodnight Legolas," Elrohir said opening the door on his right and entering the dark room behind it.  
  
"Yes, see you tomorrow," Elladan said, quietly opening the door several meters down the hall from his brother's. Finally he could get some decent sleep. His back was beginning to ache after all those nights stretched out on hard, stony floors.  
  
"Goodnight. There will be a lot of discussion tomorrow. We have many things to talk about." Elladan and Elrohir nodded their heads at what Legolas had just said. They knew only too well tomorrow may be a hectic day. Legolas turned to his left and opened the door nearest to him, and heard the others close their doors quietly behind them.  
  
He entered a dark room with only one candle lit on the windowsill, and closed the door quietly behind him. It was still rather cold; still, it was warmer then outside. He placed El gently on the four-poster bed. He walked towards the dwindling fire in the fireplace and placed several more logs on it from the bucket next to the bed. The room was beginning to feel warmer already, although, the fire did not create enough light to look around. This was El's room before she disappeared. It had been cleaned regularly and everything of importance had been left the way it was. He had not been in here since she went away, and was pleased to be in it once again with her.  
  
El twisted on the bed to get comfortable and opened her green eyes towards Legolas, who had now come closer to the bed. She smiled drowsily at him before closing her eyes again. "Goodnight," she whispered. Legolas pulled the covers that were by her feet up around her slim waist.  
  
"Goodnight Gathiel," he whispered in her ear as he pulled her soft green hair away from her face. He turned to leave the room and opened the door, took one last look at the sleeping Dryad, before closing the door softly behind him.  
  
Legolas opened the door a few meters away, entering his own room. He lit a fire and then getting into his own warm bed, extremely pleased to be home. It was quite surprising what had happened today. Riwel had always despised El. Why all of a sudden should he become, even slightly, interested in her? He shook the worrying thought from his mind and blew out the shrinking candle on his side table. He would know soon enough, besides, he could now sleep in peace knowing he had found what he had set out for. He closed his eyes and went to sleep, to the sound of the rushing water outside his room.  
  
So what did you think of this chapter? Please review to tell me! Chapter 10 should be up in a few days. 


	10. Laerian is cool

Thank you so much to all of you review chapter 9! Specially Cheryfaerie who always gives me lots of lovely reviews!(hope I spelt it write.() Pleaasee review. Btw, I am desperately looking for a new beta, and if anyone would like the tedious job it would be greatly appreciated! (Kaitlin was too swamped with her own story.)  
  
El woke to the golden warm rays of the sun tickling her cheek. She turned over to try to get some more sleep, when she noticed someone was looking at her with great amusement and interest. She closed her eyes again, bad tempered at having her sleep rudely interrupted by an onlooker. She groaned when she noticed the onlooker was now snickering and pulled a soft feather pillow over her head. If it were Elladan, she 'would' kill him...slowly. Then she noticed the laughter was not the same as his, or anyone she had heard, although, it still remained vaguely familiar.  
  
"Oh do not mind me Gathiel, you can carry on sleeping if you want to," The voice said softly, "After all you were up half the night, so it does make sense to sleep away half of the day." What? She had already slept away half of the day, and then it hit her. Where was she?  
  
El slowly, lifted the pillow off her head and opened her eyes to get a good look at the person sitting at the side of her bed. Her hair, she thought, must have been a total mess, no wonder there were tears of laughter rolling down his cheeks.   
  
"What Elladan and Elrohir said was, in fact true then. I always knew you hated getting up in the mornings and it seems you still do."  
  
El was extremely surprise to notice a Dryad other then her in her room. She was quite relieved when it was not Riwel, besides, his voice was too cheerful and soft. He had short honey coloured hair, kind green-brown eyes and smooth tanned skin. He smiled cheekily at her with perfect teeth.  
  
He was incredibly handsome in his own way. El was not in the mood for smiling back and lifted the pillow over her head again, causing the Dryad to laugh even harder. The door of El's room opened again, and El heard the familiar voice of Ivy.  
  
"Laerian! Leave the poor girl alone. She has not had a proper sleep for several days. How would you feel waking up to someone you do not know staring at you from the other side of your bed?" El whimpered before taking the pillow off her head, and sat up straight. Ivy had to restrain a smile. El was not a pretty sight in the morning.  
  
"I am sorry Iavas, but I just had to see if she was really back, besides, she may have forgotten me but I am no total stranger to her." It was true, thought El. His voice was a little familiar, and she seemed to enjoy his company.  
  
Ivy handed El the cup of herbal tea she held in her hands. El took it gratefully, and finished the whole lot with only one breath. She was told Laerian had had to stay behind at Mirkwood while Ivy had been able to see her at Lothlorien. It was incredibly unfair, and he had missed her just as much as Ivy.  
  
"Where am I?" She asked vaguely. She could only remember Legolas' voice whisper in her ear, and him carrying her in his arms after she had nearly fallen asleep and hit the ice.  
  
"Well you are in your old room in the city of Ithanal. Legolas carried you here last night. Tell me you remember something of yesterday, or have you forgotten everything, again?" Laerian teased getting up from his chair. "I have been sitting here for approximately fifteen minutes waiting for you to get up. Everyone in your company has been awake since nine 'O' Clock this morning. Except Elladan, and I believe his brother is waking him up now, with an icy cold bucket of water. He volunteered to assist me in waking you. Count yourself lucky Ivy was there." El looked up thankfully at her friend.  
  
Just at that second they heard a loud yell erupt from a room nearby and Elladan burst through the door, totally soaked from head to foot. He was seething with anger.  
  
"Which way did he go?" Elladan asked Ivy politely. She pointed to her right. Elladan flashed a smile at El, pointed enthusiastically to her hair with a grin, and then resumed running down the hallway furiously after his brother. Oh how he wanted to KILL him. El felt her hair, it was a total mess. She concentrated a little and it straightened itself out down her back. Laerian was still smiling cheekily at her.  
  
El stopped to get a good look around the room she was in. It was fairly large, with green walls, and around the edge of the walls were little creepers with tiny blue flowers. She could not tell if they were real or not. The creeper had even wound itself around the posts of her bed. It was a gorgeous room.  
  
"Wow, this is a nice room!" El said still amazed as she looked around.  
  
"Even if you do say so yoursel - OW!" Laerian cried as Ivy dug a sharp elbow into his ribs.  
  
"What Laerian is trying to say is, it is your room and you designed it." Laerian nodded his head while he rubbed his side with a hand. Laerian got up from his chair and offered a strong hand to El. She took it and got out of bed. She was still in yesterday's tunic and it was rather dirty.  
  
"I suppose you will want a clean dress and a nice bath," he said, "I will leave Ivy to do that, and then I will have to leave you in peace. No matter how much I would like to stay while you have your bath," he said cheekily, "First let me introduce myself properly to you Gathiel. I am Laerian, the Dryad of summer," he added dramatically, trying to make himself taller and sterner.  
  
Ivy pushed him towards the door and mumbled something like "Show off." He turned around to grin at El before Ivy slammed the door shut in his face.  
  
"Now that Laerian has finally gone, over here is the bathroom." Ivy opened the door into a large bathroom. In the middle of it was a huge bath. There was also a toilet, a basin, a mirror and a lot of cupboards. This room had the same kind of design as the previous. "The other door leads out into a garden. That one over there leads to you study, lounge and your kitchen. However, we always eat downstairs with the king." Ivy then showed her where the towels and scented oils were, and then left to get her some dresses.  
  
Finally El could have some peace, she had only been up for thirty minutes, and all ready she was tired. She ran herself a hot bath, undressed and got into the water. She proceeded to scrub herself all over with the soap. After spending at least twenty relaxing minutes in the soapy water, whilst washing her hair, she heard some one enter the room next door. El quickly got out and wrapped a fluffy green towel around her, and opened the door.  
  
"Ivy I-..." El stopped when she noticed the guest was not actually Ivy, but Elladan and Legolas were sitting on the bed talking quietly. Legolas stood up immediately, and looked her up and down.  
  
"Oh, hello,"  
  
"Um-sorry-I-umm... Good morning," Legolas said finally pulling himself together. That had been a bit of a surprise. He looked around himself. Then again, he was in HER room, and Ivy had just gone to get her some dresses, so obviously she had nothing clean in there. How else would she get to her wardrobe? He cursed his idiocy.  
  
Elladan sighed and stood up properly. "Honestly Legolas, it is not as though she is walking around naked, the towel nearly even touches her toes," Elladan said. El was laughing gently at Legolas' bemused expression. He shook the thought from his mind and straightened up. Why was he feeling so embarrassed?  
  
"Ivy put the dresses in your wardrobe," Legolas said. Elladan's grin nearly covered his entire face it was so big. El walked quickly to the mahogany wardrobe, opened the doors, and pulled out a silvery dress, before walking back into the bathroom and closing the door quickly behind her. She could hear Elladan laughing at Legolas as she pulled the soft materiel over her head.  
  
The dress fitted well, it must have been hers before. The bells of the sleeves nearly touched the floor and the bottom of the dress trailed a little on the floor behind her. It was definitely not a very practical one for running in. She brushed her hair a few times, it had only been five minutes but it was already dry. She then left it to flow freely down her shoulders and back.  
  
El opened the bathroom door again and stepped outside.  
  
"Nice to see you in a dress for once," Legolas said totally over his previous embarrassment. Elladan nodded and looked her up and down seriously.  
  
"Yes you do look so very elegant," He teased. He had to admit the dress did look good on her.  
  
"You are over your mornings shock then," teased El, "I hear I am not the only late riser." Elladan's eyes narrowed at the thought of his brother's cruel trick.  
  
"Yes, I have had a nice...warm...bath," he answered shivering. That water had been taken from outside, Elrohir had actually had to break the ice on the top of the water, to pour it over him.  
  
"I have to admit, it is nice to be clean again," Legolas said matter-of- factly, "Well, are you ready for lunch?"  
  
"Yes absolutely, I am starving." El found a pair of matching shoes, and then followed the others out of the room.  
  
El looked around as she closed her door behind her. She was now standing in a large hallway with white walls and a mint green carpet. She stepped cautiously in front of the others. She had no idea where to go, and her head was hurting with all the things she had to remember. She began walking to her left and then stopped when she heard no footsteps following. Both Legolas and Elladan were smiling at her. Legolas beckoned for her to lead on, which she then did feeling slightly embarrassed.  
  
"This is so disorientating!" She exclaimed, "I have no idea which direction we are going in, I suggest they put up signs." She walked towards her friends who were still looking at her with amusement.  
  
"I second that suggestion!" Elladan cried cheerfully. He had always found it hard to find his way around, which was mostly due to the sheer size of the city and how the buildings nearly looked all the same. "Really Legolas, I think you should suggest it to your father."  
  
"I find my way around easily," Legolas commented cheerfully.   
  
"Yes, but how long have you lived here? Oh yes, all of your life!" El nodded in agreement with Elladan's wise words. Legolas looked towards his younger friend, who was now staring fixedly on the long hallway still in front of them. Elladan had stayed here for nearly five years and yet he still did not know his way around Ithanal. Then again Legolas was not surprised. Only important things tended to grab Elladan's attention, like where the dining hall was.  
  
"Well you have been here for five years, Elladan, El has an excuse, you do not," Legolas pointed out grinning. Elladan just looked back at him feigning innocence. El was slightly puzzled. He had been here five years?  
  
"You mean to tell me, Elladan, you have been here five years and you do not know your way around this realm?!" El questioned him.  
  
"Well I know my own way to the dining hall, and my room, so really that is all that matters," he said pompously. El looked across Elladan to Legolas, who was looking back at her, and shrugged her shoulders.  
  
They carried on walking down the passageway, El noticed there were a great many other hallways branching off this main one, some of them led into huge decorative halls, and others led into lounge rooms or armouries. She also noticed there were now many other elves walking in and out of doors, and a lot of them were looking at her with interest. She moved in closer to Elladan, she was becoming quite unnerved at the un-wanted attention.  
  
Elladan noticed her closing the gap, and looked down at her. Interested at the looks everyone was giving her. Her eyes were wide and he could tell she was feeling uncomfortable. Legolas was now looking at her with curiosity as well.  
  
"Why is everyone staring at me?" El whispered. Elladan laughed at her question.  
  
"Well you may have forgotten that you have long, green hair and bright green eyes. Not many Elves have green hair," Legolas said.  
  
"None, unless they have not washed their hair for a while, a long while!" Elladan added un-helpfully. El shot him an angry glare, Elladan stuck out his bottom lip and pouted, causing both El and Legolas to burst out laughing, drawing the trio even stranger looks.  
  
"Well, I mean, apart from the obvious reason," El tried again.  
  
"Oh yes, about your hair, if I might add," Elladan started, El did not like where this was going, he tended to mention his opinions often, and he was now becoming quite melodramatic. "Waves around in a non-existent breeze and your eyes shine like 'huge' green bonfires-." El stopped suddenly, closed her eyes and drew a shuddered breath. Green bonfires, the fire had flashed green before the sacrifice.  
  
She felt someone take her hand, pulling her back from the nightmare. She opened her eyes and tried to smile, but just grimaced, then turned her head away so Legolas could not read her expression.  
  
Legolas stopped suddenly, what was wrong with El, what had Elladan said wrong. Green bonfires? Surely that would not have offended her. He took her hand gently in his, it was incredibly cold. She opened her eyes slowly and to his surprise, he noticed that before she turned away, they showed considerable pain giving away her feelings. His concern was not helped by her weak smile.  
  
Meanwhile Elladan had carried on walking for another five meters before he noticed he was just talking to himself. He got quite worried when he saw El's pained face.  
  
"El, you know I was only joking, do you not?" El smiled weakly at him and reassured him with a nod of her head. "Except, well, you do have green hair, and eyes bright like a-." Legolas stopped him before he could mention it again. It did not matter any way, thought El. She had just been so caught up in the present, she had nearly forgotten her past. Why did she have to go and remember it again? Elladan noticed Legolas stop him. What was so bad about bonfires? As an elfling he had always enjoyed the odd one.  
  
"What is wrong?" Legolas questioned. El turned her head to look at him, she could see worry in his blue eyes. She pulled her thoughts together and stood up straight.  
  
"Do not worry Legolas, I am fine. I just felt a little light headed and I am sure I will be better after some food," El lied as she carried on walking. Legolas was not reassured with her answer. She had most definitely lied. He would have to think about this, Elladan had noticed her reluctance to speak the truth too.  
  
They walked further down the hallway, until they reached a large room at the end. It was enormous, and all around the decorative walls hung pictures. There were pictures of trees, rivers and fields. El noticed that each of the four huge landscapes, showed the same place, but at different times of year. She looked towards one of these pictures in particular. It was full of beautiful flowers. Then she realized there was a portrait next to it, and to her surprise she saw the cheerful face of Laerian.  
  
"Absolutely gorgeous picture," El recognised the voice of Laerian next to her, "I have always admired the handsome bloke...Oh yes, it's me!" El rolled her eyes.  
  
Ivy, to Laerian's dismay, who had just come through the door, dug him yet again in the ribs. El noticed the familiar face of Ivy next to the golden one of autumn, Riwel's cold winter one. Her eyes settled on the portrait of herself. It felt incredibly strange to see a portrait of her on the wall of a place she did not even remember ever being in. El felt the presence of Legolas next to her, and turned to meet his gaze.  
  
Legolas was quite surprised to see El's shock at her own picture on the wall, as well as the picture of Ivy and Laerian, though her eyes darkened as she looked upon the portrait of Riwel. "Would you care to sit?" He asked politely, El nodded and followed him to the table.  
  
It was already laden with food, china plates, silver cutlery and crystal glasses. She sat down on the chair next to Legolas. Elladan sat on her other side, while Laerian sat opposite her. Ivy and Elrohir were further down. El could hear him describe to Ivy every detail of Elladan's reaction to the cold water. El felt Elladan stiffen next to her, he was going to kill his brother...And get El back of course, and he could not forget that!  
  
"Well, it is nice to see everyone altogether again," Thranduil said as he sat down at the head of the table with Legolas and Laerian on either side. El glanced down the table. Where was Riwel? There he was, and he was looking straight at her, her eyes darkened and flickered red for a moment. There was something strange about his look though, it showed no sign of hate, some thing else had replaced it.  
  
"Gathiel." She quickly turned her head away from Riwel's piercing gaze and looked towards the king. "How was your sleep?" El looked towards Laerian who was staring back at her, as though nothing had happened.  
  
"I slept wonderfully, thank you my Lord," she replied looking towards the king again, she was still feeling sour towards Laerian.  
  
"That is good news. It seems you have met Laerian then?" Thranduil noticed the mock angry look she was giving Laerian.  
  
"I had the honour of waking her this wonderful morning!" Laerian said smiling evilly. Thranduil now understood. Laerian had funny ways of waking people up.  
  
"Maybe you should lock your door in the mornings, and then you shall have peace, from unwanted Dryads," Legolas laughed, El nodded her head enthusiastically. Why had she not thought of that before? Laerian pouted at El.  
  
"Maybe I should lock my door in the morning as well, giving me peace from unwanted brothers," Elladan said bitterly, looking at his brother who was grinning back at him. Thranduil chuckled, he had heard all about Elladan's wake up call. Elrohir had been quite impressed with his idea, and of course, had mentioned it to everyone.  
  
"It was only a little water, brother," he replied innocently.  
  
"A LITTLE! MORE, like a whole bucket of FREEZING cold water. I shall be in a bad mood for the rest of the day!" He shivered at the memory; he would get him back for THAT! How?  
  
They all began to help themselves to the varied food on the table, and soon the whole table was involved in conversation. Laerian was discussing with El about how they all should have a picnic and go riding in the fields. El was very keen on this idea as she had only seen the fields and gardens at night, and they had horses here. Laerian was also telling her how fantastic he was at riding and how he was always able to beat her in races, no matter which horse he was on.  
  
"Do not listen to that last comment," Legolas said quietly, "You could always beat him at riding. It was one of those things he was very sore about." Laerian shot him a warning glance.  
  
"That is NOT true!" He said again.  
  
"Oh yes it is! I know what you are up to Laerian. You are trying to confuse her." Laerian could hold his straight face no longer.  
  
"Yes well, I can do other things, like beat ANY elf at sword fighting!" El could sense a little challenge in his voice.  
  
"Any elf but me, Lord Laerian," Legolas replied calmly, not even razing his voice, but making sure that Laerian knew he had accepted the challenge. He just hoped Laerian would not cheat with his magic. "But you must promise me, you will resist the temptation of using your magic." Laerian did look a bit sad at this news, so he could not use magic. Who cares? He was so skilful he could do without it easily!  
  
"You are on, Prince Legolas!" Laerian smiled and carried on eating his food. After they had finished lunch they went into the lounge, El noticed even more portraits around the huge room's walls, there were many comfortable armchairs and couches. She felt much better with all the lovely food in her stomach, and was beginning to feel sleepy again. She sat down on a large comfy couch and rested her head on the arm closing her eyes.  
  
"So, Gathiel." Her eyes snapped open when she realized Thranduil was addressing her. "Legolas said they found you with the Haradrim." She nodded her head slowly. Why did they have to talk about this now when she was feeling so calm? "May I ask what you were doing there?" El's eyes darkened at the question, she knew he already knew that, and yet he was making her answer the painful question.  
  
"Oh I decided to go and have a tea party," she added sarcastically, the room quietened, everyone had heard the sarcasm in her voice. Legolas was surprised too. Had she no respect? He turned to look at his father. Thranduil had expected that reply, he should have too, and after all, her time with the Haradrim could not have been pleasant. Actually, quite frankly, his father had asked a stupid question, he knew how she was caught in the hands of the evil ones.  
  
Riwel was sitting on a chair next to Laerian, his throat tightened. He could not help but feel sorry for El. Even though she did not realize it, he could feel a huge amount of pain erupting from somewhere in her subconscious, pain she had, for the moment, forgotten. It would surface sooner or later.  
  
El tried to pull her feelings together, it made her feel sick having to talk about the only bit of her past she really remembered.  
  
"I do not know." Thranduil's concerned frown remained as she answered his question again, he could see a remarkable amount of pain flashing in her green eyes when she turned to look at him once again. He stood up, it was obviously too soon to talk about her past with her.  
  
"I think for the moment, we should leave this matter. We must wait for the wound of your recent past to heal a little first," he said softly to El and smiled at her reassuringly. "I suggest you explore the land you loved, and I am sure still do. First I think Laerian is itching to take you riding, but maybe that should wait until tomorrow when you have regained your strength." El thanked him with a smile, it was true, she was not ready to discuss with everyone the little of her past she did know. Thranduil nodded, then left the room and disappeared out of sight.  
  
"Well, then!" Laerian said rubbing his hands together and looking around at everyone, "What shall we do first?!"  
  
So what did you guys think? Please tell me what you thought of Laerian! (Cos I luv him! () 


	11. Riding in the fields

Hi people! This is my fav chapter of all(and Kaitlin's too!) So please tell me what you think of it! By the way: thanks so much to all of you who sent me reviews! it is so nice to get such lovely ones! Thankyou! Oh yes, I do agree totally about how rushed it was in the first few chapters, but now I have started to slow things down, and maybe some time in the future when I have a bit of spare time I can do a revised version, but unfortunately I cant do it now, due to exams and homework.  
  
Laerian stood up quickly and with a wide grin on his face, this was going to be fun.  
  
"Any suggestions?"  
  
"I think we sh-" Elladan started.  
  
"-Let's have a picnic!" Laerian interrupted clapping his hands together before Elladan could suggest anything different.  
  
Elladan just shrugged his shoulders, it was fine with him. "We can go riding too!" El was beginning to feel slightly scared at Laerian's excitement, she thought they were going riding tomorrow, never mind, Laerian was just too excited to wait.  
  
"I will go and inform the maids to get a picnic ready," Ivy said as she stood up and left through the large door.  
  
"I will help," Riwel said as he followed Ivy out of the room.  
  
Legolas' head was in his hands; today was not going to be a peaceful day with Laerian around.  
  
"Well...Come on then! It is nearly two O'clock and we need to leave before dark," Laerian said with frustration. They could always go tomorrow, but he wanted to go now!  
  
"Gathiel, we have so much to show you and so little time!" He said dramatically helping her from the chair, and grabbing her hand as he pulled her towards the door.  
  
Was Laerian always this enthusiastic about things? "Laerian I do not think I have the right clothes for this," she pointed out worriedly.  
  
"So? Who cares!" He proceeded pulling her out of the room, the others following close behind. They walked out of the large doors and through the gardens, El had no time to stop and look around because Laerian was still holding on tightly to her hand.  
  
"First, we must go to the stables, Iavas should be there ready with the food. We will then go for a ride, and we can have afternoon tea on the hill."  
  
El looked behind her, Legolas was not far behind, he grinned and nodded his head towards Laerian. Why did she always end up being pulled around by over enthusiastic Dryads? Elladan and Elrohir were not far behind Legolas.  
  
Soon they had reached the huge stone wall, which was still covered in the night's frost. Laerian looked upwards.  
  
"Hello there! Can you open up please," he called loudly.  
  
There was no answer, it was lunch and the gate guards were probably eating.  
  
"Oh this is just GREAT!" Laerian yelled sarcastically, "Never mind."  
  
He lifted his hand and flicked it lightly towards one side and the doors began to creek open, Laerian walked briskly through, with the others following closely behind.  
  
Laerian dragged her to a set of buildings made of both wood and stone. El could see a couple of Elves around the buildings, saddling up many horses, cleaning and grooming them.  
  
El's dress waved around a little in the breeze.  
  
"Yes, the horses are saddled! Come Gathiel, this one is yours, she is called Esti." The Elves, who had been saddling the horse, went back into the large stables. It was huge, and must have had more then 500 horses inside! There were even more of roaming freely around the huge paddocks. Laerian took El towards a beautiful tall, lean silver mare.  
  
"Esti," whispered El. The mare immediately bent down her head and nuzzled El's green hair, El laughed and patted her on the neck. She put her foot in the stirrup and tried to get onto the horse as elegantly as she could with a dress on. The breeze was not helping as it was filling the dress with air, showing off her legs. Laerian was watching her with great amusement, and his head was tilted slightly to one side, she did have nice legs.  
  
"A little help would be greatly appreciated!" El stated exasperated, she could see Laerian's dangerous expression, he was not going to help her in a hurry. Legolas, who had been getting on to his own black stallion, walked it up next to El.  
  
"Here, take my hand," Legolas said lifting her gently on to the huge horse.  
  
Laerian was looking annoyed at Legolas; it had been enjoyable watching her suffer.  
  
"Thank you Legolas," She said with a grateful smile, then turned her head to Laerian and narrowed her eyes. He grinned back mischievously, and then got onto his chestnut colored horse.  
  
"So where are we off too then?" Elrohir said, both he and Elladan were on bay stallions.  
  
"Well we have just got to wait for Ivy and Riwel who have got the food. There they are now!" Laerian exclaimed pointing at the two Dryads getting closer to the stables. Riwel was carrying a basket full of food. They loaded up a donkey to carry the food, and the other two mounted their stallions.  
  
"Let us go!" Laerian cried who then whispered into the horse's ear, spurring it forwards. El bent down closer to Esti.  
  
"Let us see how fast at riding Laerian really is Esti." Esti jumped into the air, and then went into a fast canter, soon El had caught up with Laerian. He began to slow down, as did El.  
  
There was no point in racing, as El had no idea where to go. She decided to just trot alongside. The others caught up with them quickly.  
  
"Here we are," Laerian said as he dismounted from his horse. In front of them was a large lake with pink and white lilies floating on the top. Elladan helped El off Esti, and they all seated themselves on the bank of the lake. Laerian was sat on one side of El, and was talking quietly with Riwel. Could they really be friends? They were nearly opposites! How could anyone possibly like Riwel? El watched Riwel closely as he talked. She turned to Legolas on her other side.  
  
"Why is it that Laerian and Riwel are talking like friends?" She whispered carefully so that Legolas was the only one that could hear her.  
  
"Well, it may come as a surprise to you, but they have been the greatest of friends ever since they were children, before you or I were born even. He is actually nicer than you may think. Every now and then he goes funny. Although he has always hated you and I." El flinched at the word. Hate was a very strong word. She did not hate Riwel, she just did not think she liked him.  
  
"Riwel is just that kind of person, he has a protective shell around the outside because he does not want to get hurt again."  
  
"Why what happened?" El replied. It must have been something terrible to affect him so much. Legolas raised a finger to his lips.  
  
"Today may not be the best time to tell you." El nodded at Legolas' answer, he would tell her soon enough. Legolas knew that Riwel's feelings were changing towards her, he had hated El since the day she was born. Why now did he change his judgement he had kept for nearly 2000 years?  
  
"Food!" Elladan cried as Ivy pulled the package off the donkey. El looked towards Elladan.  
  
"Are you really that hungry?" She asked, surely he could not be.  
  
"Of course!" He replied haughtily.  
  
"It has only been two hours since we ate lunch!" El had seen the amount of food he had piled on his plate.  
  
"Exactly, Two...whole...hours!" He replied trying to defend himself. No wonder the dining hall was the only place he knew the way too. Ivy took out the cakes and bread that were inside and placed them on a large dish so everyone could help themselves.  
  
El took a piece of fudge cake, Elladan took three, as well as an assortment of other things.  
  
"I suggest you save some for the others Elladan," Ivy exclaimed as she helped herself to a muffin. Elladan shrugged his shoulders and continued to binge.  
  
"I have not even had my second helping yet!" He said grinning maniacally at her.  
  
After the quick afternoon tea, thanks to Elladan, El got up to investigate the lake further, and walked between the waving boughs of the willow tree to look over the waters edge. It sparkled in the dappled light of the sun. It was so peaceful here, and it gave her time to think. El lay down on the grass still looking over the edge of the water so that the ends of her hair touched its smooth surface. She picked a silver-white lily off its cold surface to smell the sweet fragrance it emitted, the petals spread out on her hands. Maybe it was a good thing she had lost her memory, and that she could not remember Riwel's dislike for her.  
  
El could hear the muffled voices of her friends behind. El looked at the flower that was in her hand, and then placed her other on top. What creature did she like the most? Her hands shone blue and white and the light was intense in the cracks between her fingers.  
  
She opened up her hands to reveal a beautiful silver swan with a golden beak. She brushed her fingertip along its tiny snow-white wing, it was so soft, and like the petals of the flower that had made it. The tiny bird stood up slightly dazed and looked at its wings with wonder, like it was the first time it could actually see itself. El laughed, of course the lily had never seen itself or moved before. She had turned it into a swan, an actual moving being! She flapped her wings vigorously, trying to push itself into the air. El lowered her hands and placed it gently onto the cold surface of the water. She started swimming around in circles, then swam over to another of the lilies.  
  
"You can change into what ever you want. If you want to go back to being a lily again, you can." El laughed as the swan shook its head, this was far more exciting then being a lily. She rubbed the swan's head lightly and began humming softly to herself. The rippling water stopped, revealing the presence of a tall young man behind her. She stopped singing.  
  
"Riwel," El whispered bitterly to herself, just loud enough for him to hear her. To her surprise he did not even reply or grin. He just lay down on the cold mossy ground next to her and sighed. He could not believe he was doing this. El just ignored him and carried on playing with her lily swan. Riwel could not help but smile, she looked so content, and so- What was he thinking?!  
  
The swan swam over to a golden lily that was nearby and rubbed her silver head against it.  
  
"I think I know what this little swan was missing," Riwel said as he turned and picked the golden lily next to the swan. He cupped his hands around it and his hand glowed gold for a moment before he too opened them, revealing a slightly larger, gold, male swan. It immediately flew from his hand and landed next to the female and the two began playing. "Now neither of them is lonely." He smiled peacefully as he watched the two.  
  
El watched him with interest; it was the first time she had actually looked at him properly. She had not noticed before how handsome he was. His short hair, she noticed, was not the electric blue she had seen him with first. It had darkened to a blue black. His icy blue eyes reflected the sun that shone on the waters surface. What surprised her was how kind they looked. Her eyes wondered past his perfect nose and lingered on his soft darkish red lips. He had silver tinged skin like her. Riwel turned to look back at her and smiled softly. El moved her head back quickly to the lily swans. He did not look as if he hated her. What was Legolas saying?  
  
Riwel stomach dropped when he saw El looking back at him with curiosity. Did she like him?  
  
"El, are you alright?" Legolas asked. He had seen Riwel looking at her. Had his feelings really changed? Riwel snapped his head back to Legolas, and he got up off the ground quickly.  
  
"Hello 'Prince'. I bet you were listening to the whole conversation were you not?" Riwel was now right in front of Legolas, both were lean and of even height. "Are you jealous?" Riwel said in a whisper. Legolas' eyes narrowed. What was he doing? "You know what I mean Legolas, I will take her from you. Just because she loved you before does not mean she will like you now. I will try to take her from you, and succeed." Legolas was furious, but forced a smile.  
  
"Of course you will try Riwel, feel free to try, but you will not succeed." Legolas pulled away from him and walked closer to El, taking her hand and pulling her off the ground. Riwel watched with anger. How could he be so cool and collected?  
  
El took Legolas' hand gratefully; she could feel the tension between the two men. She looked back at the two swans and waved goodbye, before she turned to follow Legolas past the willow tree back to where the others were.  
  
"Gathiel! Riwel and I have put together a little demonstration," Laerian said cheerfully.  
  
"Demonstration of what, exactly?" El asked curious.  
  
"How great my powers are!" Laerian said looking at his fingernails. Riwel cleared his throat behind him.  
  
"Oh yes, and Riwel's too. But mine are better!" Laerian stood five meters away from Riwel. "Alright then, who shall start first? Are we going to battle each other or what?"  
  
"I thought you had this all planned out!" Riwel said.  
  
"I did, I mean I do! FINE I will go first!" Laerian pointed his hands at Riwel's feet, and a large flame erupted from them, licking Riwel's boots. Riwel just stood there grinning. The flame became more intense. Around Riwel's feet ice began to appear, protecting him from the flames. Then before their eyes, Laerian's flame had become incased in the ice, as if it were frozen in time. Riwel's hair turned into its electric blue that El had seen him with on the first night she had met him. Riwel brushed a fingertip over the ice and it crumbled into a million icy shards to the ground. Laerian's hair was waving around in the breeze, but instead of being its usual honey brown it was now shining a bright gold. This was amazing!  
  
Suddenly a cry echoed through the forest that was less then a mile away. El shivered. What creatures were they? Laerian and Riwel's heads turned to the direction the noises were coming from. Both of their eyes were glowing in the twilight. It was twilight!  
  
"Quick! We must go back to the City walls!" Legolas cried, they could hear the harsh voices of unfriendly men around where the other cries had came from.  
  
Ivy ran over to where Riwel and Laerian were standing. Her hair that had been darkened before shone a flame red, her once light blue eyes shining silver. She turned her head towards Laerian. "What is it?" She whispered.  
  
"I do not know, they are too far away. Quick, you must get to the walls!" Laerian ran over to El and lifted her onto Esti. "Hurry Gathiel, you are the one they are looking for! Legolas ride with her. Riwel and Ivy will wait with me!" Laerian whispered is Esti's ear, she jumped into the air and started galloping towards the walls that looked so far away.  
  
So what do you think of this chapter? Sorry these chaps are getting long, but its all part of me adding in more descriptions and thoughts. Please review to tell me what you think. ( 


	12. Prison walls

HelLo here is chapter 12, hope you all like, BTW thank you tones to my new beta cherryfaerie!!!!!!!!! Please review to tell me what you think!!! It would be greatly appreciated!  
  
El looked back at her friends. Laerian was shouting commands at the far away trees, which looked as though they were closing together, so that no gaps appeared, like a barrier. Legolas was riding close next to her and Elrohir and Elladan were not far behind. The cries of the forests sounded like they were getting nearer, could they get past the trees?  
  
The three horses of Ivy, Laerian and Riwel galloped past them. How were they going to get away? They would be killed! There was a lump of panic in El's throat. She slowed Esti down so she could get a good look behind her. They were not there any more!  
  
"EL Ride faster!" Legolas cried next to her, "The others are fine!" How could he say that, when they were nowhere in sight!  
  
Suddenly something zoomed past her ear, just skimming the side of it, then another and another. Flying in front of El were three birds. She remembered the silver bird of pray that Riwel had turned into a few nights ago. There was a golden bird a little bit like the silver, as well as a flame red bird with a long elegant tail. What kind of bird it was, El could not guess. The silver bird was now flying just in front of her, swooping and spinning in the air.  
  
In no time at all they had reached the city walls that opened quickly in front of them. Finally they were safe inside; El could barely see anything, for the sun had set a while ago and the moon was nowhere to be seen in the dark sky above. She jumped off her horse and ran over to Legolas, Elrohir and Elladan.  
  
"Well, that was an exciting ride." She said, Legolas turned to look at her, and he looked incredibly serious.  
  
"Do not joke about things like that El." Legolas turned and carried on walking towards their building. El's eyes flickered red, what was wrong with him? Some elves came towards them to take their horses. El turned towards Esti.  
  
"Thank you Esti." She patted her on the head, and followed Legolas.  
  
"Maybe we should do this again some time." El said cheerfully, making light of the moment.  
  
"No." He said turning towards her, looking extremely serious and cross. El backed away nervously.  
  
"Legolas, it was only a joke!" He turned back to his horse, un-strapping his weapons from the saddle.  
  
"I do not think you shall be leaving the City walls any time soon El" He said quietly, almost to the horse and not El, but her keen hearing picked it up. "Why not?" She asked bluntly. Legolas ignored her and then carried on walking, slinging his weapons over his shoulder. "Why NOT?!" He was beginning to get annoyed, had she been asleep for the past ten minutes?  
  
"Are you deaf or blind El?! There are things outside these walls that want to KILL you!" Surely he did not have to explain this! Elladan and Elrohir were watching with caution from behind.  
  
"Oh so I suppose you want me to stay inside these little walls, yes Legolas?" She clenched and unclenched her fists in frustration. "Stay inside while everyone else can have their freedom. While they go riding in the fields or for walks in the forests, I will just have to stay here and read my little books! Oh look at poor El, she is too weak and feeble to defend herself. Well I have news for you Legolas! I have powers, they may not be as good as Laerian's or Ivy's, but at least I can use them!" El's eyes were now glowing red in the darkness. She took a step closer to Legolas so she was nearly pressed against him. "You cannot keep me within these prison walls Legolas!" She whispered between clenched teeth.  
  
"Oh yes I can," he answered coolly as he looked down at El. He could see how furious she looked; El had always been this stubborn. He made an effort to clear his frustrated emotions from his face.  
  
El could not believe how calm he was looking, she could not see any sign of emotion in his eyes, why was he doing this to her! Out of the corner of her eye she could see the three birds, suddenly all three of them started glowing, and three figures now replaced them. Anger engulfed her like a hot blanket, there was a lump in her throat, if she opened her mouth she would surely choke! Ivy took El's arm.  
  
"It is for your own good," Ivy said reassuringly, El pushed her arm away and ran in the direction of her room. I know what is for my own good! How dare someone else tell me what I am feeling! How dare they take me prisoner in these cold walls!  
  
Legolas' face remained clear of expression as she ran off into the distance. His anger was still burning inside him.  
  
"Legolas," Elladan said, still bemused about what had just happened, "you did not need to bite her head off!" Legolas flashed him an icy cold stare, and Elladan closed his mouth. Riwel walked closer to Legolas and shot him an evil smirk.  
  
"I think Elladan is right, Legolas," he said. "You were too hard on her." Riwel stopped and then his smirk grew to a wide grin, "Maybe El needs some cheering up." Legolas stopped quickly, the turned to face the dryad. He could no longer keep his self-control, and everyone could see how furious he was. Riwel grinned, a little while longer and he was sure the prince would snap. "El probably needs someone to listen to her," He paused. "Someone to hold her, while she cries? Do you think so too Legolas?"  
  
Legolas snapped. He threw a clenched fist at Riwel's face, so quickly the dryad had no time to duck. Riwel stumbled back in surprise and his lip was bleeding heavily. But before Legolas could throw a second Riwel was off running in the direction El had disappeared off to. He could taste the coppery blood in his mouth.  
  
Legolas was about to run after him when Laerian caught hold of his shoulder.  
  
"Let him go, he is only doing this to anger you." Legolas kicked a stone in front of him with more force then needed. How could he have been so stupid! Why did he always have to be the insensitive warrior with a short temper, she was only making a joke!  
  
El ran into the building ahead. How could Legolas expect her to stay here? To be content with only the elf tended gardens? As much as she thought they were beautiful, she was far more content with the wild. She raced along the huge hallway; somewhere down here was her room, but which one?  
  
El stopped to get her breath back, then looked around at her surroundings. This place was not familiar; she had no idea where she was. She turned left through an open door, and found herself in a rose garden, with a small table and two chairs on either side. El sat down on one of the chairs and looked up at the stars, her eyes were brimming with tears. There were footsteps on the pebbles behind her. She got up ready to run, when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her down again. It was not Legolas.  
  
So what do you think? Please Review to tell me! ( 


	13. A Change of thought

Sorry this chapter is so short and it took me so long to write, but we were away most of the hols, and then there was school camp! Not to mention the beginnings of my new story! 20 000 words WOO-HOOO! Good luck reading it and I am really sorry that it's a bit melodramatic! Hope it's ok and please review!  
  
The hand left her shoulder as the figure turned to sit next to her on the bench; the moon reflected on his face, it was Riwel. El's tears twinkled in the starlight as they slid down her cheek. Riwel looked at her sympathetically, silently pleased at the fact that Legolas had the sensitivity of a stone wall.  
  
"What are you doing here?" El said bitterly. Riwel sat silently for a while; El wondered if he was actually looking concerned, or pretending. Riwel's eyes danced from the stars to look at her.  
  
"Well, this is where I normally sit in the evenings," he answered calmly. Oh sure, he was going to say, 'came to cheer you up because Legolas is such a jerk, and, I like you'. "Why are you here?" He said instead.  
  
El flashed him an angry look, "As if you do not know already, or were you asleep?" Riwel smiled at her hasty comment. El wiped the tears from under eyes with the sleeve of her dress, but more replaced them. "I got lost," she added quietly. Riwel nodded.  
  
"Thought you would."  
  
El did not know how late it was, but she was thoroughly tired, maybe that was why she felt so weepy, she was exhausted. Seeing this he lifted his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. El then rested her head against his warm shoulder and closed her eyes. Riwel stroked her hair then realized what he was doing, and stopped before he embarrassed himself.  
  
"Legolas said you hated me," El said, remembering the conversation she had had with him previously.  
  
"Well I do not, otherwise I would not have followed you here." El looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"I thought you said you came here every evening?"  
  
"Every evening I know you are going to be here," he replied and El laughed. What did Legolas mean when he said Riwel hated me? She yawned.  
  
"I think you need to go to bed," Riwel said, he did too; he had nearly been up the whole night before talking with Thranduil and Iavas. Suddenly he froze, there were the sounds of quick footsteps echoing from the hallway they had just exited from. Legolas entered the garden.  
  
"Hello my friend," said Riwel as casually as possible. Legolas' eyes narrowed at Riwel, and he took a step closer. Riwel smirked in reply. Legolas looked down at El, who was doing the best she could to ignore him. It was just like Riwel to advance on a lady when she was vulnerable. "Come to join us for a chat have you?"  
  
"I would like a word with you Riwel."  
  
"Oh how nice," he replied snidely. "Would you like me to make a time?" Legolas growled. "Now, if you please. Alone."  
  
"Surely you can say it now, even if El is here?" Legolas leaned forward and pulled Riwel from his seat by his tunic. Riwel smiled and his eyes glinted in the darkness and suddenly they flashed electric blue.  
  
El looked up at the pair staring at each other. Legolas looked furious, while Riwel still looked slightly amused. She jumped up and pushed Legolas away, her eyes were blazing red and her hair was back to its shining green.  
  
"Leave him alone Legolas," she whispered, then she too smiled. "Leave us alone." Legolas stepped back in surprise. Did this mean she had actually considered liking Riwel? What had he done? Legolas turned slowly and walked back to the hallway; he had not expected that. He tried to ignore the lump that was now in his throat, all his emotions were swirling around his head, this was not supposed to happen to him! Riwel knew exactly what he was doing, and as far as he was concerned, he was winning.  
  
El smiled to herself, as she watched Legolas leaving the room, she was almost feeling sorry for him. Almost.  
  
Riwel slipped his hand into hers, and pulled her through the doorway, walking up the corridor. He now had what he had wanted for so many years. Legolas had taken her from him once; he was not going to take her from him again.  
  
So is it all right? Please review to tell me. (Ps criticism is good, as long as it is constructive.) 


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